Yin And Yang
by Cobalt 27
Summary: AU, 1 equals 2. Heero has no choice but to move to a new school in the middle of his sophomore year and is in for a few surprises. Finding that he’s more comfortable with homosexuality than he thought, and meeting new friends...full summary inside.
1. Prologue

Yin and Yang  
_By Cobalt 27_

**Summary:** AU. 1 equals 2;3 equals 4;5 equals M. Heero has no choice but to move to a new school in the middle of his sophomore year and is in for a few surprises. Between going from being a loner to one of the most popular guys, finding that he's more comfortable with homosexuality than he thought, and meeting a nymphomaniac who has a deeper side to him Heero realizes he's in for one hell of a semester.

**Warning: **Drinking, drugs, smoking, sex, swearing, angst and mature adult themes. Hilde and Catherine are 100 percent OOC but I hope you all like my version of their high school girly-ness.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own or have any claim to Gundam Wing, its characters, logos or its affiliations; they belong to Sunrise, Bandai and their affiliated companies. I do not own or have claim to bus names, street names, school names, mascots or logos. I do not own or have claim to the high school that appears in this story. I do not own or have claim to the malls, store names or their logos that appear in this story. I do not own or have claim to songs, lyrics, movies and movie characters, actors, singers or bands that appear in this story. **I own** **all original characters** that do not appear in any anime/manga owned by Sunrise, Bandai or their affiliated companies.

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Prologue

"Good. The movers are here."

Odin Lowe, uncrossing his arms from his chest, pushed off his '87 Dodge Shadow and stood straight, waiting for the U-Haul truck to pull up to the apartment entrance.

Heero, who had been sprawled in the back seat, turned off his Discman and opened the door Odin had previously been leaning on. Climbing out, Heero took a stance next to his adopted father.

This apartment was smaller than the last, but that was the point. This was the third time Odin had been forced to take a job with less pay, and the third time he and Heero had to move to a smaller place in order to comfortably make ends meet, but that didn't bother Heero. He was grateful for what he had and, though sometimes he wished he lived the lavished life, wouldn't trade it for anything or anyone.

**TBC.**


	2. Chapter I

Yin and Yang  
_By Cobalt 27_

**Summary:** AU. 1 equals 2;3 equals 4;5 equals M. Heero has no choice but to move to a new school in the middle of his sophomore year and is in for a few surprises. Between going from being a loner to one of the most popular guys, finding that he's more comfortable with homosexuality than he thought, and meeting a nymphomaniac who has a deeper side to him Heero realizes he's in for one hell of a semester.

**Warning: **Drinking, drugs, smoking, sex, swearing, angst and mature adult themes. Hilde and Catherine are 100 percent OOC but I hope you all like my version of their high school girly-ness.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own or have any claim to Gundam Wing, its characters, logos or its affiliations; they belong to Sunrise, Bandai and their affiliated companies. I do not own or have claim to bus names, street names, school names, mascots or logos. I do not own or have claim to the high school that appears in this story. I do not own or have claim to the malls, store names or their logos that appear in this story. I do not own or have claim to songs, lyrics, movies and movie characters, actors, singers or bands that appear in this story. **I own** **all original characters** that do not appear in any anime/manga owned by Sunrise, Bandai or their affiliated companies.

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**EDIT:** I made MINOR changes to this chapter, a word or a line here or there. No changes were significant enough to re-read this chapter.

**Chapter I**

"So, you'll be alright to get to school on your own?" Odin slipped his arm through his jacket sleeve and grabbed his coffee mug.

"Yeah," Heero mumbled around a mouthful of Alpha-Bits, while studying the bus map.

The colourful map illustrated all bus routes in the city, every school, park and mall. Heero knew some of it, because his last apartment was in a small township just outside the larger city he had moved to.

"Well, okay. Wish me luck on my first day."

"Luck."

Odin was hired at a parts factory as the maintenance supervisor. Maintenance Supervisor was just a fancy way of saying the dude who fixes the stuff, toilets included.

"Okay, see you at four thirty."

Heero waited until Odin's footsteps faded down the hallway before he crossed the room to the small stereo set up near the television. He turned the knob and the barely audible music became comfortably audible for seven o'clock in the morning.

_This city's burning_

_It's not my burden_

_It's not over before it's too late_

_There is nothing left to analyze._

Heero returned to his small square bedroom to don himself in his school attire: navy blue school pants and a white button up dress shirt with his school's name embroidered on the breast pocket. He had never gone to a Catholic high school before, but figured it couldn't be any worse than the public ones he had attended in the past. He heard that Catholic high schools had spirit and everyone got along. He wasn't expecting much.

_You're not the Jesus of Suburbia_

_The St. Jimmy is a figment of_

_Your father's rage and your mother's love_

_Made me the Idiot of America._

"_It's not over 'til you're underground. It's not over before it's too late. This city's burning. It's not my burden!"_ Heero's bass voice filled the small kitchenette as he washed his breakfast dishes.

This was the life he was used to, having to be independent and self-sufficient. Ever since he could remember he had always fended for himself, even with his father to watch over him. Odin had made sure that his adopted son had a healthy home, food on the table and clothes on his back. Any extras Heero got for himself because he had been working since he was eleven. It started with a paper route and then a job at an ice cream parlor when he moved the first time. After the second time, he became a host at a posh restaurant and now, that he was done his dishes and fishing through the classified ad in the newspaper, he was looking for another job.

Glancing at the bus schedule next to the paper, and looking up at the clock on the wall, Heero sighed. He'd have to put away the paper and continue his job searching after school. His bus would be at the corner in five minutes. Gathering his bag, and adorning his puffy blue winter jacket, he grabbed his keys off the kitchenette counter and left the apartment.

Heero waited outside at the bus shelter. Two buses passed this stop and both arrived at his new school, but the 1C would bring him there directly. He had always been a direct person and opted not to travel down side streets. There were a bunch of other uniform clad students on the bus as he boarded it. In fact, they were literally packed like sardines. Some didn't even have a bar to hold onto and just bumped into others as they sped down the streets. Heero hoped they were all going to his school so he would know _for sure_ when to get off the bus, but he couldn't see any logos on any school shirts because all the students were wearing jackets.

The bus was loud, and Heero kept weaving in and out of others' conversations.

"Ohmigaud, she didn't? … She did? Ohmigaud! I knew it … she's so like that."

"…And then he ate it! He actually ate it!"

"…so ma bitch was like 'why you be mackin' on her when you be wif me' and so that's when I bail dat shit and I'ma just like 'fuck it, yo'."

"…Did you get your membership for the Fuzzy Friendship Fanclub yet?"

"SHHH! Be quiet! Someone could have heard you."

"Oh, no one's listening."

"…And then she—hey, you okay? You don't look too good. Oh, morning sickness, right? Does this happen every day now?"

"…Hey, who's that?"

Heero had the suspicion the last question was directed to him.

"…Dunno. He's cute."

Then he lost the suspicion, but turned discreetly to see who was speaking anyway, not that he was usually curious about these sorts of things. A thin girl with a boyish blue haircut was talking with a taller girl with shoulder length wavy hair. A boy sat behind her, with a giant uni-bang, and thwacked her on the head with a rolled up bristle board.

"OUCH! Trowa, you're such a jerk sometimes! Why did mom have to have _two_ kids!"

"Because she was so disappointed when you came out. She stopped after me because I'm perfect."

"You're both deluded. She counted her losses and figured why put _three_ demented children on this planet."

"Ouch, Hilde. You're supposed to be my friend!"

Amused, but knowing he wasn't involved, Heero turned his attention away from the entertaining group behind him and settled on a window, or what he could see of a window while he tried to look between people.

It seemed to be a typical February day in the southern tip of Canada in which he resided. There was a mushy snow cover across the lawns they passed, and a thick gray slush on the streets that seemed to get dirtier with every car that drove through it.

The bus came to a prolonged stop where Heero noted that other jacketed students with the same embroiderment as his school shirt began to file out of the bus, so he joined them. The flock of students began trudging across the street, except Heero. He stood back just taking in the unfamiliar scene before him.

It wasn't as if he hadn't attended a high school before. It was that he knew his old school. Seeing this new one, seeing the activity surrounding it, was slightly overwhelming. He had visited this school once, but it was nearly deserted then. He wasn't intimidated, but a sense of nervousness gripped him as he thought about the possibilities of what lay ahead.

The bus pulled away and his window of opportunity to cross the street vanished as cars continued traveling down the road. He stood and waited for an opening when a long sleek limousine caught his eye. It sped up the road, the tires splashing dirty slush in every direction, including Heero's. He was hit hard with a cold thick blanket of wet mush. It stuck to his uniform pants and his jacket and though he hastily tried to wipe himself off it didn't matter because he was already wet. Muttering under his breath, a cloud now over his head, he spotted an opening in traffic and marched through it.

Yes, he was angry and would most likely be in a sour mood all day, but he wasn't going to let it bother him. His skin was thicker and, after all, it was just wetness. It would dry, even if it would leave a dirty mark. It could be washed out, even if he had to spend his first day in a filthy uniform. No, he wouldn't let it bother him.

Continuing up the sidewalk, past cars and people, he noticed the limo parked right in front of the school, in front of a curved brick half wall with the school's name. He stopped in his tracks as he glared at the luxurious vehicle.

Those jerks! They didn't even apologize! But, no, he wasn't going to let this bother him. Shit happened every day and he had to deal with it. Gritting his teeth, he marched up the remainder of the sidewalk with as much dignity as he could muster. Just before he could reach the branded wall, the chauffeur opened the door and Heero, once again, stopped dead in his tracks.

Long slender, but masculine, legs slid out of the limo. A gentle hand with languid fingers gripped the chauffeur's rough ones as a teenage boy was gracefully pulled out of the limo. Standing at full height, Heero could tell they were roughly the same age. What really caught Heero's eye was his exotic braid and how it hung like a dancing rope, dusting the seat of his pants as he walked.

Shaking his head, and ending his trance, Heero continued marching up the sidewalk. He was intending to give this guy a piece of his mind! That was, until almost everyone the rude stranger passed said hello or waved to him. Heero turned about, observing others. No other student was being greeted by as many peers as this one. Though, no other student was being dropped off in a beautiful black limo. Sinking slightly, Heero's resolve vanished. He wasn't about to ostracize himself by having a confrontation with one of the popular students, especially on the first day.

Now, Heero Yuy wasn't one to care about high school hierarchy or cast systems. However, he wasn't too keen on being the only outcast, as everyone he had briefly passed seemed to get along with a good amount of people they briefly passed. What was this school? One of those sing-along get-alongs? That was all he needed, a disagreement with a popular guy in a school where everyone stuck up for each other. No thanks, that's a pass.

Swallowing his pride, he held his chin a little higher than what he normally did and did the only thing he could in his situation. He marched towards the front entrance, dirty clothes and all.

He entered the school's doors and was found in a little foyer with another set of doors. The traffic there was thick, and he had to take tiny steps to advance, but finally got through the queue. He found himself in a lobby, with an elevator in front of him, a set of offices to his left, and a glassed in library to his right. Knowing that he was supposed to get a locker, he turned to the right and headed into the windowed room labeled: Main Office. He entered and was greeted by a stern looking woman with a fifties haircut. She directed him to the office next door, which was the Attendance Office. However, the line to get into the office wrapped out and down the hallway and stopped right in front of the elevator. This was going to take forever.

He waited for a while. Music had begun to filter throughout the school, and the activity increased. Students began entering their classes, and five minutes later the bell sounded three times consecutively. Heero had just entered the office where a tall leering man with dark graying hair and glasses stood next to a small, compact sickly looking man who had a the gender-bender name Kimberly for a reason. Heero explained to him what was going on, and while the taller vice principal found a lock for him, the shorter one checked his watch.

"You're late for class," the short one deadpanned.

Heero breathed harshly through his nose as he confirmed the time. The bell had already rung.

"Yes, but I've been waiting in line—"

"This is not a very good way to start here." He flicked a detention slip with the pen in his hand. "First you're late and now you're going to be a smart ass?"

"I wasn't being—"

"Hey! Don't argue with me, okay?" His eyes widened as he took a defensive stance on the other side of the walled counter. "You'll find yourself with a detention on your first day."

Heero knew unfairness when he saw it, and this vice principal reeked of it. Most cruel teachers really were just misunderstood. Dealing with other people's juvenile delinquents six hours a day, five days a week could be very stressful and most of the time their unfairness was wrongly placed stress and anger. He decided not to push it when he realized this particular vice principal probably put up with more shit from the twenty students in the line before him than Heero would have to put up with all semester.

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

Heero thought for a second.

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, sir what?"

"Yes, sir I understand."

"I didn't ask if you understood. I was telling you not to back talk."

"I wasn't, sir."

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"No, sir."

At that moment the gorilla looking vice principal came back with a lock in his hand. He handed it to Heero.

"That'll be seven dollars."

"Seven dollars?" Heero wasn't aware that there was a charge for locks and all he had was a five-dollar bill for lunch, and his bus pass. "I didn't know there was—"

"You either pay, or you don't get a locker."

"Well, can I get one on Monday then?"

"Yes…but no backpacks in class. You'll have to put that in a locker."

Heero's brows furrowed at the logic of it all. He had to pay to get a lock, but didn't have the money. He could wait until he got the money, but wasn't permitted to bring his bags into class. He had to store them in a locker of which he couldn't afford. It was sort of a catch twenty-two, and there was nothing he could do.

"Can I make a down payment on a lock, or something?"

"It's seven dollars or nothing. We don't have time to chase you around for money. Now get to class, and take this." The short one scribbled on a slip of paper. "You can serve this detention after school."

Heero narrowed his eyes as he took the slip and read: "reason: late" on the bottom. This was great. This was just unbelievable! He walked down the hall, passing the guidance office, and threw his arms up in defeat. For all of his troubles he was lockerless and had a detention with a man who seemed to have a personal vendetta against him for no apparent reason.

"Hey, hey, wait up."

Heero turned around and noticed the uni-banged boy from the bus jog toward him from the Attendance Office. Heero, in his anger, hadn't even noticed the boy in there.

"That was just Mellion and Lauzon. They're bastards. Don't let them fool you, though. The rest of the teachers here can be pretty cool. I can help you with your locker problem for today, if you wish." He stopped right in front of Heero, and Heero noted that all the uni-bang hid was one massively green eye. The boy had bright emerald eyes, but no physical irregularity that would be reason to hide half his face. Heero, figuring it was this boy's unique way of standing out in a crowd, shrugged it off and took the boy up on his offer.

"Yeah, a fix to my locker problem would be really helpful right now. My name's Heero Yuy." Heero extended his hand, waiting for the green-eyed boy to follow suit.

Taking the offered hand in his, the tall and slender boy gave it a firm shake before speaking. "Trowa Barton, grade eleven."

"Tenth."

Trowa nodded as the two continued down a small hallway that was at the corner of the Guidance office and the elevator. It was a short hallway with one hallway leading off into the main square of the building (where you could either go up the stairs, enter the library or continue down two different hallways), and another hallway that "dead ended". Trowa took him to that hallway where there was a staircase to his right and another hallway leading from that. It seemed further back that the hallway just ended at the gym doors, but, in fact, gave way to a hallway with vending machines, and lockers. Trowa continued down the sports hallway when Heero turned around and found himself staring down the hallway that lead to the main square of the building.

"You cannot get lost in this school. Don't worry. It's just a bunch of squares tacked on to each other, so if you ever get confused just keep walking." Trowa smirked, noting Heero's confusion. "All the rooms on this floor are the one hundreds, starting at the front and working their way to the back. All the rooms on the second floor are the two hundreds, starting at the stair case at the front of the school and just going around in a square." Trowa continued walking, past changing rooms and washrooms and two gym doors that each read "Gym 1" and "Gym 2". Trowa noticed Heero looking oddly at this, and continued talking. "We have two gyms, or rather, one gym with a divider wall. If there are two gym classes at once, we break it up. For school assemblies and games we have the full gym. There's a fitness room upstairs, too…if you're interested."

Heero nodded. "Thanks, for all the help."

"No problem. I wish someone had said all this to me on my first day here in grade nine. Oh, and there is no pool on the third floor. We don't have a third floor, no matter what anyone says."

Heero nodded once again, figuring that was one of the school's long-standing jokes or something.

"Another thing, it's an insult of someone calls you a Cardinal. They're our rival school. Our mascot is…well, we don't have a particular mascot, but we're the Lasers."

They reached another branching off hallway that was no doubt another part of a greater square, and Trowa turned left. He walked until the end and turned right.

"This is the English hallway, otherwise known as the boonies. We just passed the Tech hallway and the Horticulture room. This is the stoner hallway, pretty much. But I had Art first period last semester so this is where my locker is."

Heero didn't say anything. It was a lot to take in still, so he just opted to nod his head instead. They kept walking down the long hallway, passing a small hidden hallway with red lockers, and stopped next to a room numbered 142. Trowa whipped his lock's dial around and, almost without looking, entered the combination. The lock released and clicked open. He opened the door, sticking the open lock back into its spot so he didn't have to hold it.

Heero was not amazed by the cleanliness of it. He knew, judging by Trowa's clean cut appearance and friendliness that Trowa, being a boy of sixteen or not, would have an exceptionally clean locker regardless of the stereotype about how messy teenagers were. Each binder and textbook was organized and had their own place. The locker door had an organizer attached to it along with a strategically placed mirror.

"Go ahead." Trowa stepped away from the locker so Heero could place his belongings inside.

Heero looked inside once again and noted how Trowa's backpack was hanging from the hook on the left and his coat was hanging from the hook in the back. The only hook available for Heero's belongings was the crooked one on the right.

He placed his jacket on the hook, and then his backpack over top of it. Heero took out a big black binder and stepped out of the way for Trowa to close up the locker.

"Do you have everything for first and second?"

Heero nodded, tapping the huge binder that, sealed in a small zipper compartment, contained two ballpoint pens, one pencil, one white out stick and one eraser. The lined paper on the inside was already divided into two major sections, which would later be divided into sub-sections as soon as he got all his class syllabi.

"Meet me here when the lunch bell rings. I'll let you in and you can get your food or money."

"Alright."

"I have to be going now. Mr. Ferntetti will be wanting his attendance slip back." With that Trowa dipped his head and walked off.

Heero breathed in slightly, looking down at his drying pants and soiled shirt. He decided, that once he got his own locker, he was going to keep an emergency change of clothes inside. Walking back up the hallway, the way he had originally come, he pulled his schedule out of his pocket to double check it. He already had it memorized but he wanted to make sure that, by some unexplainable force, it hadn't changed since the last time he looked at it. Confirming that his first period was in fact Religion in room 103 with a certain Mr. Paliski, he began his journey to the front of the school.

X-X-X

With a sigh that could have finished off the leaning tower of Pisa, Heero Yuy slowly shuffled through the throng of students that packed the school hallways to the breaking point. It had been the longest two periods of his life, the longest one hundred and fifty-two minutes he had ever had to suffer through. Religion and English had never been more agonizing. It wasn't the workload, or the teachers, but the environment of the actual class. He could feel some sort of cold immaturity emanating from them, as if they were telling him he didn't belong. They were so damn cliquey.

He finally got to the locker he was temporarily sharing with Trowa, and found him not to be there. He immediately began to panic. What if Trowa had forgotten, and left? But how could someone as organized as Trowa forget about a strange jacket and backpack in his locker? How could he not notice something that he didn't have an inventory for? Heero guessed everything in that locker could be accounted for and Trowa knew every place for it. Then, the panic starting to recede, he looked up and down the halls and finally saw him.

It was hard not to notice the tall youth gracefully finding his way through the crowd, nodding to people here and there. He approached Heero and smiled, nodding his head deeper than he did for the few students he passed.

"Find your way to your classes alright?"

"Yeah." Heero nodded. "I had Religion, then English." He wasn't sure why he felt like telling Trowa his schedule. It wasn't something people were normally interested in.

"Oh?" Trowa began to open the locker. "Who with?"

"Paliski and Teddie."

"Paliski's cool." Trowa opened the door and placed his books on the top shelf. He reached into a small pocket of his backpack and produced a ten-dollar bill. "Odd, but alright. A lot of guys think Teddie's hot, but she's getting old."

"I noticed." Heero placed his binder in his backpack and stepped back, thinking about the way his fellow students had turned their heads when Mrs. Teddie walked past them in her leather skirt. His lunch money had been safely tucked in his pocket all day, so he was ready to go.

"Are you buying from the caf?" Trowa closed the locker, and leaned up against it.

"I was planning on it." Heero looked down the hallway. He wasn't sure about this school, but if it was anything like his other school he knew that hungry teenagers translated into vultures and he had to get to the cafeteria before everything was ravished.

"Well, we can—"

The door at the end of the hallway, the door close to Heero and Trowa, suddenly flew open with such force that it hit the wall hard and made a few students jump. Stomping in, anger wafting off of him, was the braided limo jerk from that morning. His face was livid as he stormed up to where Heero was.

"BARTON! We have to KILL Mr. Alec! He gave me TWENTY MINUSES! TWENTY! Can he really do that? I don't think it's right. I don't think it's legal! If I don't get one hundred fucking percent on all my shit I'm not going to make the fucking honour society. If I don't make the honour society I can't have the cabin to myself this summer. I. Want. That. Fucking. Cabin!"

"What did you do, Duo?" Trowa was still leaning against his locker, with a smirk on his face.

Heero, on the other hand, was trying hard not to punch this guy in the face. He was standing two feet in front of him and he could clearly see Heero's dirty clothes. Was he going to apologize for that morning or not?

"Ohmigaud, Q!"

Obviously not. Heero grit his teeth as the braided boy walked toward a small blonde who was walking toward Duo. Duo grabbed the blonde's arm and turned him around, hauling him off up the hallway. The blonde looked helplessly to Trowa, who just shrugged at him and pushed himself off the locker.

"C'mon." He chuckled as he led Heero after them. "Duo knows better than to piss off Mr. Alec. Everyone knows better. He's some crazy Russian or something. Very thick accent and very insane, or so people think. He's really a great teacher, one of the best. You just have to be a mature and responsible student and you'll have no problem with him."

"So what you're saying is…"

"Duo is one of the most immature people I know, most of the time. He's rarely serious. In fact, he's only serious when he's pissed off."

"Like now?"

"Like now," Trowa confirmed.

The four boys made their way to the cafeteria, Duo angrily chatting at the blonde who couldn't get a word in edgewise. The line to get into the kitchen was now outside the cafeteria doors, but the four boys kept walking. They made their way into the cafeteria, and pushed through the kitchen doors. No one complained. It seemed they were too popular to argue with or stand up to.

"Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me…hey Lena."

"Cutting again I see, Maxwell?"

"Gotta feed the belly." Duo grinned at a thin girl with grain coloured hair and sharp blue eyes.

Her jaw was defined and was obviously inherited by her father, as it was so masculine, but there was still an odd softness about her. Heero could sense a warmth growing inside her as he walked past and she smiled.

The four boys bullied their way past younger students, but were also bullied by older students. It seemed that seniority rewarded a student what popularity didn't.

"Oh, fuck off Zechs and move before—"

"Language!"

Heero's head snapped at the sour voice and he saw an old, almost skeletal, woman standing behind a counter protected by a sneeze guard.

Duo smiled as he wiggled in between students to join the line once again. "Sorry, Tilly. I'll watch my mouth, but not until I feed it. Poutine, please."

"Maxwell, you are trouble."

The cafeteria lady scooped a bunch of greasy fries into a thin cardboard container and slapped tiny processed pieces of mozzarella cheese onto the fries. Topping it off with a splash of goo thick gravy, she handed it to Duo who moved into the line to pay.

The blonde reached into the small cold container, next to where Duo ordered his food that held salads, sandwiches and the like. He grabbed a pita wrap and a Fruitopia and joined Duo. Trowa wedged himself in between people anxious to order and called to Tilly a Mexican Fry. Tilly splattered greasy ground beef onto a container of fries and added melted cheese, sour cream, salsa and green onions. Just as Heero was about to order, a Chinese boy cut in front of him, clamping one hand on Trowa's shoulder and calling out for a chicken burger with a Caesar.

"Hey, Wufei. This is Heero, his first semester." Trowa motioned to Heero with his head as he held his food in one hand and used the other to open the cold container and grab a carton of chocolate milk.

Wufei bowed his head. "Pleasure." With that he grabbed his plate from Tilly and joined the others in the pay line.

Quickly, getting the hang of how things worked, Heero called out for a poutine. He grabbed his food and a can of coke and met up with Trowa in the pay line.

"Oh, by the way, my name's Quatre Raberba Winner," the blonde introduced. "I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself before. Duo has a habit of not realizing other people exist."

Heero nodded. "My name's Heero Yuy."

"Year?"

"Tenth."

"Ah." Quatre smiled. "I'm still the youngest. I'm in the ninth. But almost everyone else is in tenth except Trowa…and his sister Cathy, Zechs and Noin are seniors."

It was Heero's turn to pay at the register and when the tax was added in he was thirty-two cents short. Slightly embarrassed but retaining his dignity, he set his pop can aside when Trowa handed the cashier the rest of the change.

"You didn't have to—"

"It's okay. Our cafeteria is more expensive than others. Our school actually has a lot of money so they think they can charge us outrageous amounts for food. We've talked to Student Council about it, but it's more political than we thought. There's not much we can do about it."

"Oh, well…Thank you."

Heero was embarrassed now, full fledged. First Trowa offered to share his locker then he has the kindness to boost Heero through the cafeteria line and then pay for the rest of his lunch. The only way Heero could think to thank him was to get his own locker on Monday and be out of Trowa's hair.

"So, where are you from?" Quatre asked as the five of them sat at one empty end of a large picnic bench style cafeteria table.

"I used to live in LaSalle."

"Hello, stranger."

The girl with the boyish blue hair from the bus walked up to Heero and waved, taking a seat at the table with her friend from the bus…the girl Heero remembered to be Trowa's sister.

"This is Heero Yuy," Quatre announced. "Heero, that's Hilde Schbieker and Catherine Bloom."

Heero stumbled slightly in his thoughts as he was introduced to Catherine. He was sure she was Trowa's sister but he was introduced to him as Trowa Barton, and Duo even called him Barton. Catherine seemed to pick up on this and smiled at Heero.

"I have my father's name and Trowa has his. We're half siblings." Just then Catherine's eyes caught something and her attention was diverted from Heero. "Hey Lena. What's the matter?"

"Maxwell's a jerk and left me waiting in line!" Heero turned around to see the girl with the grain coloured hair, and three people follow her out, two girls and a boy.

The boy, Zechs as Duo had called him in the cafeteria line, had long platinum blonde hair and was holding hands with a girl who had a hair cut similar to Hilde's. They were obviously involved. The other girl, however, disturbed Heero. She also had long platinum hair but her eyebrows were grayer, suggesting that maybe she bleached her hair while her natural colour was that of a dirty blonde. Though, it wasn't the colour of her eyebrows that disturbed Heero, but the way they split down the middle like two fork prongs. Her eyes were icy blue and she had a dangerous air about her. All four of them found a seat at the table.

"Heero, this is Relena and Milliardo Peacecraft, Lucrezia Noin and Dorothy Catalonia," Quatre introduced him once again. Then, using his friends' informal names, did the reversal introduction. "Lena, Zechs, Noin and Dorothy, this is Heero Yuy."

"Yeah, Dorothy's not special enough to have a nickname," Relena stuck her tongue out at the blonde and blew a raspberry.

Dorothy flipped her off as Duo leaned over to Relena.

"But, you _want_ to give her a nickname." Duo cocked his eyebrow as he sat smug across the table from the now furious girl. "Something sexy like kinky bunny or muffin bear."

Heero looked from Relena to Duo and it was clear by her expression that he was right. So, Relena liked girls, at least this one. Though Heero couldn't figure out _why_ Relena liked Dorothy. She must have had a great personality to make up for her maniacal eyebrows.

"Heero, you've barely touched your food."

Heero looked down and, just as Quatre noted, there were only a few bites missing from his poutine.

"Hey, if you don't want it—"

"Back off Schbieker! Damned vultures." Quatre shook his head. "There are some of us who are major mooches. Can you guess who? Hilde and Cathy almost rarely bring a lunch but somehow when the period is done they're always full. Funny how that works." Quatre shot them a disapproving stare before finishing off his wrap, which Heero learned was a chicken Caesar salad wrap and looked more appetizing than his grease filled poutine. "You'll learn to eat your food fast…and how to protect it from prying hands!" Quatre hauled off and slapped Dorothy's hand as she reached for his Fruitopia.

"Well, I'm done. Hurry up, guys." Duo was straddling the bench, looking like he couldn't decide between staying and waiting for his friends or getting up to leave without them.

Duo, Heero decided, was a bona-fide jerk. He didn't say two words to Heero. He treated his friends as if he was their leader, their dictator and they couldn't do anything without him. He still didn't apologize about that morning, which entailed the not speaking two words to Heero (and he had a funny feeling he was never going to get an apology). But, what angered him the most wasn't that he didn't speak or apologize, but the fact that he didn't even _look_ at Heero. It was as if he was too good to acknowledge Heero's existence, and while Heero didn't expect to be welcomed into this school with open arms, he didn't expect to be given _such_ a cold shoulder.

Silently, Trowa stood and emptied his and Quatre's garbage into one of the trash buckets that were all over the cafeteria. Duo followed suit and eventually Wufei did as well. Heero and Relena were the last to finish their meals, and Heero felt bad enough. Now people were waiting for him to finish. Duo was impatient but wouldn't look at him.

This was _really_ starting to piss him off!

"Meilan, it's about time!"

Heero finished his last bite of poutine and stood up in time to see a young Chinese girl walk over to them with a huge sack of art supplies under her arm.

"Yeah, well…I was—"

"First day of second semester. Don't you dare say studying, missy. You have nothing to study."

"…Preparing posters for the dance. And Maxwell would know that if he ever shut up and listened to people for once." Meilan glared at him, then quickly kissed Wufei on the cheek before handing him the sack of art supplies. "Would you be a dear and hold this bag while I run in and get some food? I'm starving."

Wufei nodded and sat back down at the table. "You all go along. I'll wait here with Meilan."

"Fine by me." Duo stretched and took his position in front of everyone. He began walking out of the cafeteria.

Heero was near the back of the group. Trowa was talking to Quatre and, since they were the only two who really spoke to him, no one was talking to him. Once they left the caf, Zechs and Noin went in one direction, Dorothy, Cathy, Hilde and Relena in another, and Duo, Quatre, Trowa and Heero in yet another. It seemed all this clique was good for was eating together and keeping up appearances.

"I'm still really peeved about this Mr. Alec thing. I mean, can he _really_ do that, really?" Duo had now grabbed Quatre's arm and was conversing with just him. Something told Heero that they were best friends. "Cuz, I don't think he can." And that Duo had a one track mind.

"Is anyone going to try and stop him, whether everyone thinks he's crazy or not? No. So, yes, he can do that. Besides, I'm sure that, though you think you don't deserve that harsh a punishment, in his eyes his actions are justified."

"Justified! Quat, who's side are you on?"

"The right one," Trowa laughed.

"Keep outta this, Barton. I'm warning you! If I don't get to spend my summer alone in that cabin up north it's your balls I'm gunna have on a silver platter." Duo was now turned around, walking backwards so he could still lead the group but also have them look at him while he talked.

"Leave my balls out of this, please. They have nothing to do with this in the first place."

"Bet you wish they did," Duo winked.

Now Heero was utterly confused. Did Duo just insinuate Trowa wanted Duo to want him? He was _very_ confused. This was certainly not a normal high school, and these were certainly not a normal people. Heero thought it best, for his sake, to change the subject.

"So, is this what you do, then? Walk around after lunch?"

"Yeah, pretty much. We go wherever our feet take us. We just walk circles sometimes, but it's a way to pass the time." Quatre smiled. "We like the break, but there's nothing else to do, really."

And while Heero talked with Quatre or Trowa he noticed that, during that time, Duo wouldn't say a word. He would turn around the proper way and walk straight with his eyes forward, never looking back. His jaw would be set shut and he wouldn't utter a single sound. And, when Heero finished talking, it was as if he hadn't said anything at all because Duo would talk as if Heero wasn't there. He wasn't included in the conversations or anything. It was then Heero confirmed that Duo Maxwell hated his guts, and hated his guts good.

**TBC.**

**A/N: **WOOT! I actually have a chapter that's over seven pages in length. Throws a party. Alright, the insert song is _Letterbomb_ by Green Day…I command you to love it. Anyway, please don't ask how long it took to write this. Please don't. You don't want to know. Seriously. And, thanks to my wonderful betas (DentelleNoir and Katie) who have immense amounts of patience for me. I love you, honestly. Now review! Muwhahaha!


	3. Chapter II

Yin and Yang  
_By Cobalt 27_

**Summary:** AU. 1 equals 2;3 equals 4;5 equals M. Heero has no choice but to move to a new school in the middle of his sophomore year and is in for a few surprises. Between going from being a loner to one of the most popular guys, finding that he's more comfortable with homosexuality than he thought, and meeting a nymphomaniac who has a deeper side to him Heero realizes he's in for one hell of a semester.

**Warning: **Drinking, drugs, smoking, sex, swearing, angst and mature adult themes. Hilde and Catherine are 100 percent OOC but I hope you all like my version of their high school girly-ness.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own or have any claim to Gundam Wing, its characters, logos or its affiliations; they belong to Sunrise, Bandai and their affiliated companies. I do not own or have claim to bus names, street names, school names, mascots or logos. I do not own or have claim to the high school that appears in this story. I do not own or have claim to the malls, store names or their logos that appear in this story. I do not own or have claim to songs, lyrics, movies and movie characters, actors, singers or bands that appear in this story. **I own** **all original characters** that do not appear in any anime/manga owned by Sunrise, Bandai or their affiliated companies.

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Chapter II

Heero walked down the hallway, heading toward the locker where Trowa was bent over, placing his afternoon books on the bottom, and his homework in his backpack. It was then Trowa looked up and saw Heero.

It was hard to miss the mysterious boy walking through the crowd of people, as if he had his own personal bubble of space surrounding him. It was as if he was Moses parting the sea, parting the crowd of students who were no smarter than drones feeding off what they are conditioned to do and not instinct. They were parting for a god they didn't know existed. It was then Trowa realized he admired the silent strength this boy possessed.

It was also then that Quatre came into his line of vision, and he smiled brightly.

Quatre caught up to Heero and nudged him.

"Hey. How was your day, anyway?" Quatre's pace then matched Heero's and the two of them continued down the hallway towards Trowa's locker.

Quatre had his jacket and backpack already, so he was obviously just meeting with Trowa and his friends before he went home. It got Heero wondering what they did after school, but he then realized that he wasn't involved. Trowa was just being kind and letting him use his locker for the day. On Monday when Heero got to school their lives would be back to the way it was, with Heero not in them.

"It was alright. I have gym with Duo and Wufei."

Heero wasn't sure why he mentioned his fourth period to Quatre. In all, it had been quite uneventful. Wufei had said a few words to him, but Duo hadn't said anything. And that didn't surprise Heero at all.

"Really? That's cool. I wish I was in the same grade as some of my friends, sometimes."

"How did you become friends with them?" Heero was suddenly interested in Quatre's life. He seemed like a nice enough person, genuinely interested in other people.

"I've known Duo forever. We live next to each other. Duo and Trowa went to the same grade school. Wufei and Meilan have known each other forever and are engaged actually. And I met Zechs during grade nine orientation. He was my group leader. I became friends with Relena through him, and then everyone else kinda just fit in. So, we all kinda met through each other." Quatre waved to Trowa as they approached.

Heero retrieved his belongings and thanked Trowa once again.

"Oh, no problem." Trowa smiled as he shut his locker door, once again leaning on it.

Heero assumed he was waiting for Duo and Wufei again, as it was what Trowa seemed to do. These four seemed to travel as a pack. It was their strength in numbers that possibly made them as popular as they were.

Cathy, Hilde and Duo approached the three at the locker, Duo and Hilde in rapt conversation and Cathy lagging behind. It appeared to Heero that Duo was always moving his mouth and he wondering if he was actually saying anything.

"Are you coming, too, Heero?" Cathy shifted her backpack as she shifted her weight from her left leg to her right.

Everyone looked at him, and he had no clue what was going on.

"I…er…"

"Of course he's coming." Trowa nudged Heero as he pushed himself off the locker and began walking down the hallway. "So, where's Fei and Mei?"

"With Lena and Dorothy. They said they'd meet us there." Hilde broke her conversation with Duo and smiled at Heero. "So, you're coming?"

"Poor, Fei. Stuck with three girls." Duo sighed as he turned around. "So, Quat…"

"Where are we going, anyway?" Heero leaned in and questioned Trowa as the pack moved down the hallway. Reaching his hands into his pocket he could feel a hard paper grazing his skin.

"The mall. We always go to the mall on Friday." Quatre turned around and answered Heero's question.

It seemed that Quatre had the knack for partaking in two or more conversations at once.

"I can't go." Heero realized, remembering the detention slip in his pocket as he wrapped his fingers around it, pulling it out for proof. "Lauzon gave me a detention."

"Are you serious?" Hilde eyed him, unbelieving. "He's _such_ an ass! What for, anyway?"

Heero shrugged. "He took out his anger on a new student he figured was too intimidated to stand up against him?"

"So, in a nut shell, you told him to fuck off?" Hilde smiled, leaning in closer with anticipation of Heero's answer.

"No. In a nut shell, I tried to be polite but that pissed him off." Heero smirked at the irony.

"Figures." Quatre smirked. "Lauzon really is an ass."

"Alright, we'll see you Monday, then?" Trowa nudged Heero's backpack.

"Monday?"

"Trowa's locker at lunch," Quatre dropped back from the conversation he was having with Duo to talk to Heero and Trowa. "It's just easier that way."

"So, you still want to hang out with me?" Heero was so unsure of everything. He kept thinking that maybe this was all some sort of joke or dream, that he would wake up tomorrow and once again be a loner…not that he had a problem with it. He actually preferred being left alone but these newfound friendships were something he saw himself getting used to.

"Dir." Hilde rolled her eyes. "Of course."

From the tone Hilde took Heero surmised that was the cool way to say duh and shrugged it off. Every group and clique had their own funky slang, and slang was never something Heero liked, so he was sure he would eventually get used to it but never use it. He was always an individual.

X-X-X

Heero turned the key in the lock and pushed open his apartment door. He took off his shoes and hung up his jacket. Taking his backpack with him, he walked into the small bedroom that was now his and sighed heavily. Flopping down on the bed, he closed his eyes as he relaxed away his stress from the chaotic day he had.

He had heard of crazy first days at new schools, but he was completely thrown into pure chaos at its peak. Between the rude chatterbox Duo ignoring him and the kindness of the others, Trowa especially, and new teachers and new surroundings and mounds of homework already, his head was ready to fall off. Yes, he loved adventure, but he was just as content to sit at home and read a book. What he disliked, really, was the routine of every day. Waking up, going to school, coming home to do homework, eating dinner with Odin, taking a shower, then reading and going to bed just to do the same thing the next day became so boring after only a week. So, doing it for years was driving him crazy. He guessed then, he really should be somewhat thankful for the insane day he had because, in all, it was a nice break from the monotony of everyday.

After a few moments of winding down Heero changed into clean clothes, a pair of jeans and a green tank top. Heero took out the remainder of his huge stack of homework, for he tackled a good chunk of it during detention, and finished his History homework.

As it turned out, Trowa was right about Mr. Alec. All Heero needed to do was be himself, a diligent and respectful student and no problems would arise. He did note, though, that Mr. Alec had a different way of teaching than he had ever seen before. If a student went above and beyond, Mr. Alec would reward them with a plus point and if a student displeased him greatly that student would receive a minus point. At the end of the semester Mr. Alec would add and take away the allotted bonus points from the final percentage and that would be the students' final grade. Even if Duo got one hundred percent at the end of the semester, he would only get eighty percent (unless he somehow got back into Mr. Alec's good graces and earned himself a whole lot of bonus points). Heero was slightly interested in knowing what Duo did to displease Mr. Alec so greatly that he received twenty minuses on the first day of second semester.

The door opened, and commotion could be heard in the kitchenette.

"Heero?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm home."

"Are you now? There would have been no way for me to have figured that out if you hadn't come out and told me. You calling my name didn't give it away at all. Thank you, Odin."

It was a rare occurrence that Heero called Odin dad. He called him Odin, though that did nothing to stifle his feelings for his adopted father. There was nothing anyone could say to convince him otherwise that Odin was his father. Odin cared for him and provided for him. Odin loved him and he loved him back, but he wasn't unrealistic. Odin was his _adopted_ father so Heero still called him by his name.

"So, how was the smart ass' first day at his new school?"

"Crazy." Heero finished his last History question and stood off his bed. Exiting his small, square bedroom he walked into the tiny living room where Odin was sitting on the sofa. "The people there are nuts. I'm pretty sure most of the entire student body gets along. Everyone seems to have a lot of friends and the vice-principals are Nazis. Lauzon gave me a detention for being polite…and it's just so tedious that I'm not even going to get into it right now."

Odin didn't press it. He was never one to continue a conversation when Heero didn't want to. He never pushed Heero into something he didn't want to do. He always taught Heero to stand up for himself and defend himself physically, emotionally and mentally and to respect others. There had always been a secret understanding between the two and if Heero was done talking, Odin wasn't going to say another damned thing about the subject.

"How was lunch, though?"

"Nuts, completely nuts. I made a few friends, I guess. We'll see how it goes. They're just so…everywhere. There's obviously a solid relationship between all of them, and they're very outgoing."

"Not exactly you're crowd."

"No, but Trowa and Quatre are alright enough. Duo, however," Heero flopped on the couch next to Odin, "I really think he hates me. He never said a single word to me, but he's the center of attention. Everyone stops for him. I don't think he liked the fact that other people were talking to me instead of listening to him."

"So, this means the group of friends you have now is…"

"The popular group, I guess. I don't know. It's strange. Yesterday I would have been fine with not having any friends and today, it was nice…for a change."

"Well," Odin started, nestling into the couch cushions further, "this change may be good for you. I'd never want you to change who you are, of course, but maybe it's time for you to open up a little. Who knows, the level of energy of this group may rub off on you, or vice versa. If they're as crazy as you say they could probably do with a little downtime. And lord knows you are the master of downtime."

Heero furrowed his brow as he playfully punched Odin's arm. "I learn from the greatest."

"I'm not that much of a downer am I? I'll have you know, before I woke up and realized I was an old man I used to be quite the reckless one. I loved parties in my youth."

"I was under the impression that you've always know you were an old man. What is this 'realization' you speak of?" Heero smirked.

"Brat." Odin reached over and threw his arm around Heero, pulling him toward him in a tight embrace.

X-X-X

"This is your WLZR Laser News! I'm Angie..."

"And I'm Tammy…"

"And this is what's going down today!" Two chipper voices shouted in unison.

Heero sat in his second period English class and sulked. The announcements at this school, though he had to give them credit for trying to raise the school's spirit from the dead, were terribly corny.

"Mr. Lauzon would like to remind all students that detentions for today will be in room 202 not 103, and that your guest of honour today will be Mr. Lauzon himself." Angie's voice trailed off, and Tammy's picked up.

"Track tryouts will be held after school today. Those interested are to meet Mr. Faginer in the gym."

Heero tried to drown out the voices with his own voice in his head. He was silently reading the short story they were given, but trying to make his voice in his head as loud as possible. It really didn't change in decibel, which only lead to disappointment. This was only the second day he had to suffer through announcements and he was already ready to shove the microphone down someone's throat.

The bell rang, but that didn't mean anything. The students of this crazy school were not dismissed by the lunch bell, but by those individuals making the announcements. And, as some people were prone to do, the longwinded Angie and Tammy talked forever.

Heero was a very patient person, however today he seemed to lack it. Gritting his teeth, the announcements finally came to an end and they were dismissed. It was good timing too, because the knuckles that belonged to his slender fingers clenching his English textbook were as white as the pages within. Heero sprung from his seat and left the classroom, heading for his own locker that was in the Drama wing.

To his horror earlier that morning, or to his usual luck he couldn't say, he had come to learn that Duo's locker was two to his right. And to his aggravation earlier that morning, Duo still ignored him even when Quatre was telling him to say hello. He was looking forward to lunch for the food aspect, as he was hungry, but he was contemplating skipping it because he didn't feel like putting up with Duo.

However, he had no choice. As he reached his locker and retrieved his lunch money, he was whisked off toward Trowa's locker by a very agitated Quatre.

"…The nerve, honestly! I mean, how rude was that? I can't believe him. He's normally not this…not this…uh!" Quatre almost snorted in his frustration and Heero had the idea to take a few steps away from the ranting blonde. "He's my best friend and I've put up with a lot of his bullshit but seriously! That was just uncalled for."

Heero gathered that Quatre was apologizing for Duo's behaviour that morning, but it really didn't matter. He wasn't expecting Duo's attitude toward him to change over the weekend, though he still didn't like being ignored completely by the braided brat.

Quatre ranted all the way to Trowa's locker (which, Heero realized, was a walk made longer by the throngs of people flowing in different directions) about how revolted he was by Duo's behaviour and it was then that Heero realized something about Quatre. Maybe it was because he was gesturing too wildly, or maybe he was taking too fast or maybe it was just because of _what_ Quatre was saying and _how_ he was saying it but Heero realized that Quatre was effeminate. He realized that Quatre was _very_ effeminate…so effeminate, in fact, that he was _sure_ Quatre was gay.

"So, why don't you just _behave_ and do a little extra work?" Hilde, with Cathy, was questioning Duo at Trowa's locker as Heero and Quatre approached.

Trowa smiled at Quatre as he waved, and the lot of them began moving down the hallway. Relena joined them somehow as they walked up the hallway. Heero hadn't been paying attention and wasn't sure where she came from, but she was there.

"Maxwell, you are _not _leaving me stuck in line again today!" Relena placed both hands on her hips as she walked with them.

"Only because Dorothy isn't here today and she's not following you around like a lost puppy." Duo smirked, and Heero wanted to hit him.

"She does _not_ follow me around! She is _not_ a lost puppy. I admire her, she has so much direction—"

"And cleavage, right?"

"Duo, seriously, fuck you."

Heero really wanted to hit Duo. It wasn't any of Duo's business if Relena liked Dorothy, so why was he trying to exploit it? What if Relena didn't want people to know? With Heero's past observing experiences at his old school he would understand why Relena would want it kept quite. Heero saw what happened to those individuals who were open about their sexuality and he figured Relena might not be able to withstand some of the physical attacks.

"Oh, shut up Duo." Quatre scolded.

The banter had continued while Heero pondered and now Quatre was in on it.

"Oh, you're one to talk Winner. It's not like you don't want a massive cock in your ass."

Heero's eyes flew open. Maybe his assumption about Quatre's sexuality was correct. So, that would mean that if all the innuendos' implications were correct, Relena was homosexual, Quatre was homosexual and Trowa was homosexual (for Heero didn't forget Duo's comment about his balls).

"Duo, honestly, do you have to be _so_ vulgar?" Trowa stared daggers at Duo, coming to full height and casting a dark shadow on Duo's heart shaped face. "I think that's enough."

"You're just defending—"

"That's right, Duo, I'm defending Quatre. Do you have a problem with that?" Trowa's dark green eyes glimmered dangerously, as if daring Duo to say another word.

It was then that Relena's brother Zechs and his girlfriend Noin joined the two along with Wufei and Meilan. The two groups amalgamated into one and heading into the cafeteria once again pushing through the line to get to the front. No one bullied them back this time because Zechs lead the way, and, as Heero noted before, seniority was everything popularity wasn't. So, for Zechs to have both meant that no one bossed him around. He was the king.

"Treize is having a party at the end of the month, everyone is invited," Zechs announced as he took a bite out of his pita. "Even the new guy…Heero, right?"

Heero looked up from his salad wrap almost bewildered. Why would a guy he hadn't met yet invite him to a party?

"Sweet! I love his parties." Duo smiled, taking a long swig of his diet coca-cola and unceremoniously wiping his mouth with his arm.

"You only love his parties because you get laid," Hilde teased, sitting across the table from Duo and just out of reach. "Over and over and over and over again."

"Dir…so what?"

Heero reflected on this. He didn't have anything against premarital sex, as it was none of his business what went on in other people's bedrooms, but the tone in which Hilde and Duo used implied, to Heero, that Duo was promiscuous. And last Heero was informed, Duo was only 15.

"Yeah, who was it last time? Mark? Tony? Alberto? Oh, wait…wasn't it all three at the same time? You're such a man-whore." Relena scolded.

"At least I get what I want!"

"Duo, shut up!"

Cathy sighed and put a hand on Relena's arm. "If you're worried that we don't know you're in love with Dorothy, you have nothing to worry about."

Relena's face turned scarlet as she folded her arms across her chest and huffed. Just then the Chinese girl Meilan, who held the art supplies the other day, turned toward Heero and bowed her head, placing her palms together in a gesture of respect as she did so.

"By the way, I'm Meilan. Sorry I didn't say hello to you the other day…or earlier. Honestly, yesterday I was so busy I didn't even notice there was anyone out of the ordinary."

Heero remembered Quatre informing him that Wufei and Meilan were engaged, and he glanced at her ring finger. Sure enough, her ring finger sat in a thick yellow gold band topped with a huge Radiant cut diamond. Meilan caught this and smiled.

"This ring has been in the Chang family for six generations now. Wufei and I have been betrothed since birth. Neither one of us mind, really. We like each other, don't we?" Meilan turned to Wufei and he gently kissed her cheek. "Our families are going to hold a ceremony after we graduate high school."

"Well, I'm done. C'mon, Quat." Duo stood up and tugged on Quatre's arm.

"I'm not done, Duo." Quatre took a long swig of his Fruitopia. "And you know what, Duo? It wouldn't kill you to _not_ scarf down your food in three seconds. I'm surprised you haven't developed digestive problems yet."

"Aren't you sweet?" Duo sat back down. "Worrying about my health and all. Hey Q, less talking and more eating. I'm done."

"And I'm _not_. So, shut up for five seconds, okay?" Quatre shook his head and took another bite of his spaghetti and meatballs. "So, Heero, you're going to the party, right?"

Heero almost spit out his wrap. "Well, I…um, I really don't know."

"Aw, don't tell me you're straightedge!" Hilde chided from the other side of the bench. "Cuz that would suck, seriously. Straightedge people never have any fun."

"I…"

"Well," Trowa cut in, noticing the confused look on Heero's face. "Let him have time to think, you guys. He doesn't know us very well. Duo's the only one here who would throw himself into a new situation like that with people he didn't know."

"Because he'd be looking to get laid," Relena said under her breath, though everyone heard her.

It was then that Heero began to worry again that maybe all of this was a joke or a set up. Was this the plan then, to invite him to a party and leave him stranded or worse? And what was all this straightedge stuff? Heero looked around and, seeing innocent fourteen year old Quatre sitting right next to him, he could not picture these people getting intoxicated out of their minds. But then again, Hilde did mention Duo's promiscuity which he admitted to. Maybe he had them pegged for the wrong crowd.

Heero contemplated this all lunch break and through all of History. It made him wonder, honestly, what Quatre and Trowa were like outside of school without the ever watchful and scolding eye of authority. He wondered this all the way to the changing rooms in gym class where he stood next to the door changing into his gym pants, refusing to wear shorts in the cold February month. He just took his shirt off when the door was thrown open with such force that it smacked the wall behind it right next to Heero.

"Duo, calm down! It's not like he's…" Wufei stopped speaking when he noticed the startled Heero standing very close to the door. "Sorry, Heero. Didn't realize anyone was standing so close. Duo's having another hissy fit."

"It's okay." Heero nodded. "I wasn't standing _that_ close." Heero's eyes wandered from Wufei to Duo, who fleetingly looked at him before walking to the other side of the changing room.

It was only a half a second that Duo looked at him, but it was long enough for Heero to realize he was half naked. Even if they were all guys, he still wasn't wearing his shirt and it made him feel very venerable. He quickly pulled his gym shirt over his shoulders, getting the paranoid feeling of someone watching him. Placing his belongings on a shelf, he made to leave the room when Duo checked him and, opening the door, walked through it without saying a word. Now Heero was infuriated! He made to march after Duo but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Heero turned around to see Wufei standing at his side.

"Duo's a spoiled brat. That's all. Don't take it personally. I mean, he's obviously got a deeper side to him but good luck finding it. As far as you're concerned, he's just a childish brat."

"Okay," Heero nodded as he reached for the door knob. Wufei was kind enough to try and calm him down, but he'd be lying if he told Wufei he wasn't still ticked off.

"Oh, and about that party, you should go. It might not be as raucous as you think." And with that Wufei left Heero alone in the change room.

X-X-X

"I've been invited to a party," Heero announced over a plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes. He looked up at Odin expecting a response. When he received none he continued speaking, "A college party; I might go."

"Good." Odin nodded. "I like that you're making friends, Heero."

"Yeah, well, now I just need to find a new job." Heero sprinkled a little more salt on his potatoes and took another bite.

"Wait, college party?" Odin cocked a brow. Last time he checked his son was just making friends. Now he was popular enough to go to a college party? When did this happen? "When is this party, and where is it?"

"Umm…" This was the part Heero wasn't too keen on telling Odin. "It's the last Friday of the month at some guy's house. My, uh, friends know him." It was kind of weird hearing himself say the word but Heero couldn't ignore the fact that Trowa and Quatre at least were friendly to him.

"Well, this is you're one chance to do something crazy, something spontaneous. I order you to go to this party." Odin smiled mischievously.

"I thought you didn't want me to change. And besides, I don't know this guy. I've seen movies like this. It never ends well."

"What are you really afraid of, Heero?"

Heero had thought about this already and had concluded it was just fear of the unknown. He still wasn't completely comfortable with Trowa's friends (Duo especially), and didn't want to be put in a crazy party situation alongside them.

"The unknown," Heero confessed. "These people, can I really trust them?"

"There's only one way to find out. Just trust yourself in the process and be yourself." Odin reached for his glass of water and took a long swig. The only sound was Odin's sipping and the second hand on the clock echoing throughout the tiny apartment kitchenette. He set it down and began eating once again.

After a long pause Heero spoke, "meaning?"

"That you use your head. Look Heero, you're fifteen now. I trust you to make your own decisions and be responsible for yourself. I trust you not to get into trouble that you can't get out of and I trust your judgment of the people you hang out with. Just promise me that you'll act on your emotions and if it gets uncomfortable you'll call for a ride no matter what time it is."

It was times like this when Heero knew that it didn't matter that they didn't share the same blood; Odin Lowe was Heero Yuy's father. It was times like this when Odin expressed his true paternal feelings of worry, trust and respect that Heero didn't care that he didn't know his biological parents.

Standing up from the small table Heero washed his dishes and helped clear the table. Placing Odin's clean plates in the cupboard Heero turned around, leaning on the countertop. He surveyed the small apartment and was once again reminded that it didn't matter what he possessed materialistically. He was the richest person in the world because he had one person to care about him as much as Odin did. The amazing thing about it was Odin didn't have to care about Heero. He didn't have to adopt Heero, but he did. He wasn't obligated to take an orphan into his home and provide for him when, at times, he was barely making enough money to provide for himself. He didn't have to sleep on the couch while Heero had his own bedroom. But Odin Lowe did do all these things, just for Heero.

"Dad?" Heero's voice was soft as he spoke. "Thanks…for everything."

"Aw, don't go getting all emotional on me now." Odin pulled Heero toward him and, wrapping one arm around him, messed up Heero's hair.

Heero swatted at Odin but the man was taller and had the advantage. Heero was still caught in his embrace. "But, I mean it."

"I know kiddo." Odin released Heero with one more ruffle of his chocolate locks and pushed him toward his remaining pile of homework on the couch. Heero smiled and took the few steps toward the couch, grabbed his books and entered his room. Odin sighed as he leaned against the counter. "I know."

**TBC.**

**A/N:** Aww! Yay! Nice father/son-ness! Anyway, enjoy this installment of yet another chapter that is longer than seven pages. Really, this is a huge improvement for me. Anyway, I've gotten some reviews about Duo's attitude and all will be explained...eventually. Now, review!


	4. Chapter III

Yin and Yang  
_By Cobalt 27_

**Summary:** AU. 1 equals 2; 3 equals 4; 5 equals M. Heero has no choice but to move to a new school in the middle of his sophomore year and is in for a few surprises. Between going from being a loner to one of the most popular guys, finding that he's more comfortable with homosexuality than he thought, and meeting a nymphomaniac who has a deeper side to him Heero realizes he's in for one hell of a semester.

**Warning: **Drinking, drugs, smoking, sex, swearing, angst and mature adult themes. Hilde and Catherine are 100 percent OOC but I hope you all like my version of their high school girly-ness.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own or have any claim to Gundam Wing, its characters, logos or its affiliations; they belong to Sunrise, Bandai and their affiliated companies. I do not own or have claim to bus names, street names, school names, mascots or logos. I do not own or have claim to the high school that appears in this story. I do not own or have claim to the malls, store names or their logos that appear in this story. I do not own or have claim to songs, lyrics, movies and movie characters, actors, singers or bands that appear in this story. **I own** **all original characters** that do not appear in any anime/manga owned by Sunrise, Bandai or their affiliated companies.

* * *

**Chapter III**

"So, I've decided to go to the party." Heero announced to Trowa, Quatre, Relena and Hilde (and whoever else was listening to him though he doubted it was anyone else).

Heero, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei and Meilan, Relena, Dorothy, Hilde, Catherine and (unfortunately) Duo were sitting at four tables at the food court in the mall with some other people they met up with. An entire week had passed with Heero hanging out with his new friends so Friday was here yet again. This time, however, Heero did not have a detention slip so he was able to join his friends at the mall for some after school time. Heero had been slightly interested in this all week because he now had a chance to see what his friends were like outside of school.

"That's good," Hilde smiled. "You'll have fun, I promise. Even if you are straightedge. Meilan's straightedge and she loves going to the parties."

"That's because," Meilan leaned over from the table to Heero's right, "when everyone is stoned out of their minds I'm the only sober one debating world issues. Though, I'll never understand how Treize and Zechs can still speak perfect Latin when stoned."

And the truth came out. So there were drugs involved at this party. Heero was positive he wasn't the drug type and had slightly regretted informing people he was going to attend the party. However, it was a new experience he probably would never have had the chance to partake in if he had stayed at his old high school, friendless. Though, he promised himself right then and there that he wasn't going to take drugs from anyone. It just didn't seem right.

But, had Heero heard Meilan correctly?

"Latin?"

"Yeah," Meilan smiled, "Trowa, Quatre, Wufei, Zechs, Noin, Treize, Une and I think Duo too, and me of course, we can all speak fluent Latin. And for some reason Zechs and Treize can speak it stoned without screwing up the pronunciations or the inflections."

Heero noticed then another small group of people walk toward them, a thin black haired male youth in the front of the crowd swinging his hips. He waved to everyone and walked right up to Quatre and gave him a hug. Heero noticed a few buttons on his messenger bag that read: "I heart boys" and "I heart dick".

"Sorry I didn't go to the last party, Q." He had a very pronounced lisp. "I'm going to the next one, I swear it. There's just so much drama going on I can't even stand it anymore. I just wanna bitch slap everyone sometimes. Oh, oh, I have a new fuck buddy! Meet Carlos," this mysterious boy pointed to a Hispanic youth who looked like he just stepped out of a Prada fashion magazine. "He goes to Walkerville and he's in the drama program. Hearing him do a Shakespeare soliloquy is the hottest thing in the world. Move over, bitch, lemme sit down." He placed his bottom on half of the small food court chair Quatre was occupying and looked at Heero without smiling.

"Oh, where are my manners," Quatre started, "Heero this is Tyrome Gervings, Ty this is Heero Yuy. And Tony can you get your tongue out of Duo's mouth? We're in the middle of the mall for Christ sakes." Quatre smiled, once again able to pay attention to everything surrounding him and be in two conversations at once.

"Fuck it. Gay Pride, Q." Tyrome glared at Heero, and Heero didn't like it one bit.

"It's not a matter of gay pride, Ty. It's a matter of public places. It doesn't matter if you're gay, straight or bi, just don't do _that_ in public. It's…immature. It shows that you don't have any class, you know?"

"Yeah, whatever. Anyway, you," Ty almost sneered it, "orientation?"

Heero was slightly dumbfounded by this. He looked around the new friends he had made and wondered why, some of them being as nosy as they seemed to be, he had not been asked this question before. And he didn't understand why it was any of Ty's business when they just met. When Heero didn't answer the question, Trowa took it upon himself to answer.

"We don't know yet; no one's asked him."

"Well, I'm asking him," Ty said.

Heero had never questioned his orientation. He had never questioned the fact that he was straight, though now that he thought about it he could never remember a time when he was interested in anyone. He had never met a girl he was willing to date or even found anyone remotely interesting enough to get to know better. He felt very uncomfortable with Ty staring at him expectedly.

"I dunno—I mean, I don't really like girls…or boys," Heero added noticing the tiny smile on Ty's face fade. "I don't like people."

"Ohh!" Quatre giggled. "We've never had an asexual before. This is cool."

"Not really," Ty turned his head, no longer interested in Heero.

"You'll have to excuse Ty," Trowa started, "sometimes he forgets that those who aren't gay are still people."

"Whatever, Tro. You suck cock, too."

Heero almost choked on the pop he started to sip, but then that wasn't the first gay reference he had heard about Trowa in the past week. It was actually starting to be quite a frequent event and he wondered out of curiosity how much validity it held.

"So, what…" he wasn't sure how to word this question, "what is everybody?"

"Oh gosh, we never told you!" Quatre's jaw fell. "I guess we just forgot. Well, Duo's gay; Trowa's bisexual; I'm gay; Wufei's bisexual but is obviously with Meilan who's straight; Relena's a lesbian; Cathy and Hilde are straight though Hilde's very much into fan service—"

"But she doesn't have any fans to serve," Relena piped up and smiled.

"Bite me Lena," Hilde flipped her off jokingly.

"Yeah," Quatre shook his head, "anyway as I was saying Dorothy is, as far as anyone knows, straight; Zechs and Noin are bisexual but love each other and Treize, who you're going to meet at the party, is bisexual and his girlfriend Une is almost asexual. Treize is the only person she's ever liked, that we know of anyway."

"Oh," Heero nodded. It was a lot to take in and not much time to process it because Quatre had the habit of speaking fast.

"Heero," Trowa spoke up, "Treize lives on Howard Avenue, but way out of the city. If you want, for the party, I can pick you up."

Heero nodded. What was he getting himself into with this party? He was beginning to doubt he'd enjoy it at all and was starting to wonder if hanging out with Trowa and Quatre was a mistake. Though, Odin did always tell him to trust his emotions and his intuition wasn't setting off major alarms so it couldn't be that bad. Right?

X-X-X

The buzzer rang and Heero walked over to the intercom. Pressing the black button he asked, though he knew who it was: "Who is it?"

"Trowa Barton here to pick up Heero."

"I'll be right down—"

Odin walked over to Heero and pressed the green button that unlocked the door to let guests into the lobby. Heero still held the black button and Odin spoke into the intercom: "Come up for a minuet."

Heero let go of the button and turned to face Odin. Trowa was friends with Quatre and Duo and as far as Heero knew Trowa's other friends had money. Not that Trowa seemed to be the type to care, but how could Heero invite him up and expect him to be comfortable in the box apartment he shared with Odin? It wasn't that he wasn't thankful for what he had, or that he wasn't proud of it, but with having such little space all of his belongings seemed to be hanging out and lying around. He wasn't sure he wanted to expose Trowa to his personal side just yet. That didn't matter though because moments later Trowa knocked on Heero's apartment door and Odin opened it for him.

Trowa smiled and extended his hand to Odin who motioned for him to enter. Odin took the hand and shook it firmly.

"I'm Trowa Barton, pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Odin Lowe; I'm Heero's father. I don't want to keep whoever is waiting for you boys downstairs, but I just wanted to meet you before you two took off. I just want you to know that I trust Heero's judgment with the people he hangs out with. He's a good kid, but a little on the shy side. I just want to make sure you take care of him tonight and between you and me," Odin lowered his voice, "I think he could do with a little partying."

"Odin, I can still hear you," Heero scolded folding his arms across his chest.

"Oh, right then, okay. In that case don't get too drunk. And stay away from those chronic hardcore drugs—"

"Excuse me? You know me better than that." Heero's eyes narrowed as he scowled.

"You're right. I'm sorry. You can get as fucked as you want."

"Odin!"

X-X-X

The silver Aston Martin DB9 pulled up to a large wrought iron gate just enough so the back passenger window was close to the intercom. Trowa rolled down his window and pressed a black button. The plump face of a security guard came on a vid-screen. He smiled and then the smile vanished.

"Who's the other one, Master Barton?" His voice was gruff as he furrowed his brows at Heero who he could see sitting next to Trowa in the back seat.

"This is Master Heero Yuy who was invited to partake in the festivities by Master Khushrenada."

Heero was impressed with how polite Trowa had been to his father, and now to this security guard. He figured Trowa was the type to put on the refined face in front of parents and authority figures, and that he was probably loved by each and every one of them.

"Oh, yes," the security guard spoke, "Master Khushrenada informed me of the new arrival. Well, carry on then Master Barton and Master Yuy."

The wrought iron gate swung back and Trowa's father drove up the winding brick driveway up to the large oak and stained glass doors. Trowa and Heero got out of the car and thanked Trowa's father (Heero silently thinking that he had just gotten out of the sexiest car he'd ever seen in his life) and walked up to the intricately detailed wooden doors. He was greeted by a tall man with ginger hair and eyebrows reminiscent of Dorothy's. He was beginning to suspect they were both German.

"Heero Yuy I presume? I am Treize Khushrenada. Welcome to my humble abode. You will find refreshments and entertainment in the back room." Treize bowed his head graciously and motioned for Trowa and Heero to enter the backroom.

Maybe Heero had gotten the wrong impression from his friends about this party. Treize seemed so refined and respectable he couldn't imagine that there would be an ounce of drugs or underage drinking in this house. Trowa and Heero turned the corner at the end of the hall and entered the large sitting room where Heero's thoughts were snuffed. There were bodies and bottles everywhere. Smoke lingered in the air as people howled with laughter or cheered others on as they chugged alcohol in various forms. There was music and suggestive dancing and someone running through the room with a video camera. What had he gotten himself into?

"Wow, you-look-sup-er-com-for-ta-ble." Relena smiled at Heero; her sarcastic tone did nothing to lighten his mood. "Loosen up a bit, have a drink or something."

Heero remained rooted in his chair (ignoring the fact that she was annunciated every syllable on its own) and watching Relena's movements. Slouched back in the chair, a rocks glass of tequila in her hand and a glazed over look her in eyes, her hair seemed wild as she nibbled on a pink fingernail. Her eyes seemed to search the room.

"Dorothy's upstairs."

"You're point?"

Heero was taken aback. He didn't know what to expect once he had revealed Dorothy's location, but it wasn't cold indifference.

"Well, you're looking for her, aren't you?"

Relena stood up and took a step toward Heero. Leaning forward she pressed her index finger to his lips and smiled. With a rather loud and slurred whisper she spoke, "Ssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh! Don't tell anyone!" She giggled and clumsily plopped herself down on Heero's lap.

Freezing, Heero looked much like an angry cat. All of his hair stood on edge, even his eyebrows seemed bushier. Relena flung her arm (the one that wasn't holding her drink) around Heero's neck and brought her legs up so she was sitting completely on his lap.

"You can't tell her, okay?" Her pitch of voice seemed to change with every stressed syllable, rising in volume and decibels. "It's a secret, okay?"

For some reason Heero began laughing. This was an entirely new situation to him and though he still felt wary and uncomfortable Relena's last comment was surprisingly funny to him. She began laughing with Heero thought he had a feeling she didn't know what was so funny. Starting to loosen up a bit, Heero decided to play along.

"But, if it's a secret how did I know?"

Her face fell and her laughter ceased.

"Shhh, no! You shh. Stop. You're magic, but you can't tell anyone."

Heero smirked. At least he was being entertained by someone else's stupidity.

"I can't tell anyone that I'm magic or that you like Dorothy?"

"Shh!" Relena clamped her hand over Heero's mouth. "You can't speak anymore, okay?"

"Momef," Heero's reply was muffled, so Relena released his mouth with a quizzical look upon her features.

"What? I can't understand you when you mumble."

Heero laughed, "I wasn't mumbling. You were covering my mouth."

"You're lying. You can't take advantage of me just because you're magic."

Heero could feel a clam presence behind him and a soft voice spoke, "Who's taking advantage of whom?"

"Heero's trying to rape me," Relena laughed and rolled off Heero's lap onto the floor (spilling her drink), "But I'm not gunna let him. I'm gunna run away to Dorothy's secret place. She'll stop him." Standing on unsteady feet, her drink all over the floor, Relena staggered away only to call to Trowa over her shoulder, "Don't let Heero rape you with his magic!"

Cocking an eyebrow Trowa climbed over the back of the couch and joined Heero on the next cushion. He looked around the room at the familiar sights. Relena was crawling up the stairs backwards, sitting on every stair before she advanced to the next. Hilde and Catharine were playing a self-invented card game called Mow Master, the rules of the game ever changing. The added rule of the night seemed to be taking a shot of Fire Whiskey every time a certain card was played. Zechs, Noin, Une and Treize were off in the kitchen having an "intellectual" conversation over a joint (and they were once again speaking in Latin). Wufei and Meilan were sitting on the floor of the dining room laughing with a drunk Quatre. Random people that Trowa met in passing filled up the rest of the space in the house, and Duo was last seen in the pool room swapping spit with some six foot tall handsome brunette with a muscular build.

"Are you enjoying yourself at all?" Trowa hoped the past hour hadn't felt like a lifetime for Heero.

Heero nodded, "observing is slightly entertaining."

"Good. I hoped you weren't bored. I noticed you don't drink. Do you—"

"To be honest, Trowa, this is the first party I've ever been to. I really, honestly, didn't have any friends at my last school, let alone popular ones or party goers. This is new to me and right now I'm just watching."

"That's cool. I don't want to pressure your or anything. But, um, we're not really popular, honestly. The other people come here because Treize is rich. It's kind of like, we—that is to say Duo, Quatre, Relena and Zechs, well everyone—we know what growing up in the spotlight is like so we all kind of stick together. None of us can move without it reflecting our family life so we like to let loose a little. Anyway, is this what you expected? The party, I mean."

"Pretty much sex, drugs and alcohol, right?"

Trowa nodded and noticed Quatre standing up and smiling. Wufei and Meilan stood up and walked toward the kitchen while Quatre staggered toward Trowa and Heero. His smile was from ear to ear as his glazed over eyes took in the sight of Heero.

"Heeeeeeeeerooooooo!" Quatre giggled and (much like Relena) flopped down on Heero's lap.

Heero's eyes once again grew wide as his hair stood on edge. He wasn't used to physical contact, let alone two people he was just getting comfortable with to flop on him in one night. Though, he was slowly getting used to it. He just hated the sudden contact when he didn't expect it.

"Quatre, maybe you should get off Heero." Trowa smirked sadistically and Heero had half a thought that Trowa was amused at his expense.

"Noooo, I'm okay. I'm just fine. I'm really fine actually—Heero! You're still sober. No, no, no, no, no. That will not do. We have to fix this yes we do and then you can have as much fun as meeeeeeeeeee!" Quatre threw his arms into the air when he spoke and laughed.

Heero looked frightened, trying to doge Quatre's flying hands.

"I didn't ask if you were fine." Trowa chuckled. "And Heero's just fine being sober. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Shhhhh, what do you know? You're stoned!" Quatre giggled.

Looking at Trowa, it was only now that Heero noticed his eyes were red and he had a tiny smile on his lips.

"So are you—"

"Yeah, but I'm drunk, too…but don't tell Heero. I don't want to upset him."

Heero couldn't help chuckling. It wasn't as if Heero couldn't hear him; Quatre was just as entertaining as Relena.

"But, Heero! It's no fun being stone sober…EVERYONE!" Quatre shouted as he stood. "I'm going to go smoke. Who's coming with me?"

"Nos es totus paro!" Zechs called out from the kitchen, holding up a joint.

Hilde and Catherine, their deck of cards and empty Tequila bottle deserted on the floor, stood and stumbled over to Quatre.

"I've got a fresh bag. Let's go." Hilde smiled wildly. "Heero, you coming?"

"I don't—"

"You don't have to _smoke_, just come." Quatre smiled devilishly as he reached for Heero's hand.

Trowa reached over and placed a hand on Heero's shoulder, holding him back from his inebriated friends.

"You are _not_ hot-boxing Heero."

"Trowa! I would _never_ do that." Quatre's laugh and huge smile gave him away and Heero realized he was in the position he was dreading all night. He had thought this over and he knew exactly what he was going to do….

Heero sighed as he trudged down the stairs. How did he let Quatre rope him into this? Why was he giving into peer pressure? Was it curiosity? Was he really that morally weak? He could just turn around and go home. It wasn't too late.

"Tada!" Quatre opened a door to reveal a large bathroom. Rushing over, Quatre closed the window. He turned the hot water on in the shower and closed the shower curtain. He turned the hot water faucet on in the sink and, after Trowa, Hilde, Catherine and Duo (Heero had no idea where he came from) filled the room, Quatre shut the door and it began.

Quatre took out a glass pipe and packed Hilde's weed into the bowl. He held it up to Duo and smiled, "new screen."

"Good," Duo nodded.

Taking out his trusty lighter, Quatre took the biggest hit Heero had ever seen in any movie. He held it for a while, smiling as white wisps of smoke wafted out of his mouth. He exhaled and the smoke filled the space in front of his face. He took another smaller hit and then passed it to Duo, who took the lighter from Quatre and raised the pipe to his mouth.

"It goes in a circle," Trowa explained. "Quatre's a greedy bitch but you're not supposed to break the circle."

Heero nodded, watching Duo fleetingly before Duo lit the bowl, their eyes connecting and Heero felt a little jolt in his stomach. Duo took a hit that equaled Quatre's first one and passed it to Hilde (whose hit was not so big) who passed it to Quatre who passed it to Catherine who passed it to Trowa who skipped Heero and passed it back to Quatre. Quatre took a hit possibly bigger than his first one and passed it to Duo who passed it to Quatre who passed it to Hilde who passed it to Catherine who passed it to Trowa who almost passed it to Quatre.

"Quatre! Stop breaking the circle!"

"Shhh," Quatre giggled, "you'll blow my cover!"

Everyone laughed, especially Quatre who couldn't stop laughing as he went back to his original spot. Not even thinking, Trowa, who was also laughing heartily, passed the pipe to Heero.

Heero held it for a minute looking at the bowl filled with weed and ashes. This was it, the absolute **_last_** opportunity to back out. Every action has a consequence and Heero knew that. He looked around the circle briefly and stopped at Duo. He stood very relaxed with messy hair coming out of his braid and a taunting look on his features that called out: "pussy". Not even thinking about the consequences Heero made up his mind and grabbed the lighter. He held the pipe up and flicked the lighter. He took his first hit…and coughed and coughed and coughed.

"Uh-oh." Hilde filled up a glass of cold water by the sink and passed it to Heero who took it thankfully.

"Noob!"

"Duo, I wouldn't talk. When you were a noob you puked." Zechs smiled from the door.

"Dir, that's cuz your ugly mug kissed me."

"Sex dice, Duo…and you loved it." Zechs smiled and walked away, Noin in toe.

"Puff puff pass, jackass," Duo sneered, looking at the pipe in Heero's hands.

It started again. Quatre, Duo, Hilde, Catherine, Trowa, Quatre, Duo, Hilde, Catherine, Trowa, Heero. And it went around again and again and again. Quatre filled the bowl twice, and Heero didn't have to take a drink after every hit.

"Duo?" A tall Asian stood at the door. Heero had never seen him before. He was very handsome and very thin with brown straight and perfect hair and dark eyes.

"Me.

He looked Duo over scrutinizingly. "Sure, you'll do. Let's go."

Duo held up the pipe he had gotten back from Quatre, "just a sec, okay?"

The Asian pushed his way into the bathroom and stood in front of Duo. He forcefully took the pipe and lighter from Duo and passed them back to Quatre who looked surprised but shrugged and took a hit anyway. The Asian grabbed Duo's head and pulled Duo into him, crushing Duo's lips under his. Duo went along with it, opening his mouth.

All Heero could do was stand and watch until he couldn't watch anymore. Not knowing why, but suddenly angry, he pushed his way out of the bathroom and disorientatedly walked down the hallway. He turned into an empty sitting room and slunk down next to the side of the couch. Back against the wall, he repeatedly hit the back of his head against the wall creating a hallow "thunk" that went in time with the chaotic music playing in a couple rooms over.

_I hold the microphone with my butt now  
Who likes that five year old panty shot  
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah that could be a real big record_

He didn't care what the others said or thought about his rude exit; he needed to get as far away from everyone as physically possible. He felt sick (and not because of the weed) but because he had made a promise to himself and he broke it. He felt sick wondering what Odin would think. He felt sick wondering what this meant for himself now that he had done it once. He felt sick thinking about how Duo could just let people use his body.

It was a nice body, Heero had noted earlier, and it deserved respect. If Duo didn't respect himself how were others supposed to respect him? Heero sighed and seconds later Trowa entered the room and stood above Heero. He looked at the floor next to Heero and asked, "May I?"

Heero nodded. What choice did he have? Trowa wasn't his enemy, he knew that. He had been so kind to him and had even discouraged the others from pressuring him. If he wanted to blame someone, he could blame Duo's taunting eyes. But he knew it was no one's fault but his own. He had failed himself.

"You okay?"

Heero shook his head.

_Someone took a big hit  
Who the fuck gives a shit?  
No not I, I am destined to die_

"I…I don't know what's wrong with me. If Odin finds out what I did…and why am I so angry? And why won't my foot stop moving?"

Trowa took in the scene before him. Heero was crunched in next to the couch with his arms at his side, his head banging against the wall and his foot swishing to and fro. His eyes were glazed over and he had a very faraway look in his blue hues.

"Well, it's the weed. But, you can't change what you've done," Trowa said, sensing that Heero was uncomfortable. "Now, this isn't BC weed or anything, but it'll still keep you fucked for a few hours. Once you come down I'll get you a ride home if you want—"

"You don't want me here." Heero wondered why he was saying his thoughts out loud. It seemed he had no inhibitions and he could speak freely. A huge burden was lifted off his shoulders as he realized he wasn't struggling to tell Trowa what was on his mind.

"What?" Trowa was confused.

"You invited me to be nice but none of you really like me. You only gave me a ride because I said I'd come. You were all hoping I wouldn't come—I knew it! I shouldn't be here. I'm so foolish. I'm nothing like you guys."

_I'll show you how official midgets jack me off_

"No, Heero, you have it all wrong. We like you. We want you here. I just don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"If you don't want me to be uncomfortable then make Duo stop." Heero stopped banging his head against the wall and looked Trowa in the eyes.

"Stop what?" Trowa's brow was arched. As far as he knew Heero and Duo were destined to not get along.

"Everything and nothing." Heero struggled to make sense. "Make him stop being bad. It's not good for him."

Trowa laughed. "The drugs really are kicking in. C'mon, let's go upstairs."

"I'm serious, Trowa. Make him stop hurting himself."

"Look, Heero we've all talked to him. Duo's different. He won't listen to anyone but himself. We can no more make Duo stop what he does than we can lift the Eiffel Tower with my pinky finger." Trowa wiggled his finger for emphasis. "But don't think we're bad friends. With all the bullshit we put up from with him we're still there to pick him up and put him back on his feet. We all love Duo—"

"But he doesn't love himself…and that's sad."

"You're right. He doesn't love himself and that is sad. But we hope that with all the love we have for him one day he might realize that he's not as bad as he thinks." Trowa sighed and began to play with a string hanging from his sock.

"He'll need a lot of love then, because he doesn't seem to get that. He should though. There's really nothing wrong with him except I hate him."

Trowa rolled his eyes. And he was just starting to hope against hope.

"Why _do_ you hate him, anyway?"

"He pisses me off so much! He doesn't speak to me or look at me. He just ignores me. And all I want is an apology for practically burying me in dirty slushy snow on my first day. He came cruising down the street in his stupid limo and got me wet and didn't even apologize. And the way he stepped out of the limo, all stupid and graceful and stupid." Heero folded his arms over his chest.

"Heero," Trowa paused, "does Duo even _know_ he splashed you?"

"I…he…maybe he…but I…aw, fuck it. But that doesn't explain why he ignores me!"

"No, it doesn't, but Duo really is more complicated than you think. He probably has a good reason, or at least a reason he thinks is good."

"But, why does he let people use him like that. He shouldn't ignore me."

"Ah, the truth comes out."

"No! I didn't mean to say it like that, no!" Heero uncrossed his arms and looked Trowa in the eyes again. "I didn't mean it that way."

"It makes perfect sense now why you obsess over your 'hatred' of Duo. You like him." Trowa smiled and laughed at the thought. It wasn't a funny thought, just ironic. The one person that seemed to hate him (and the one person Duo seemed to hate the most) was really the one person who really liked him.

"I do not. I don't even like guys. Not that I mind you and Quatre and Duo and…whoever else. You can be gay all you want. I'm not, though."

"Right," Trowa laughed, shaking his head. "C'mon." Trowa stood and reached for Heero's hand. He pulled him up and Heero reached for the couch arm to steady himself. His eyes were glazed over and he had a small smiled on his face. Trowa laughed at him, thinking he may have just found the right person to help Duo. If only he could get them to get along.

"You know what," Heero's words felt thick in his mouth as he said them and he realized he was really thirsty. "Dorothy…her eyebrows are not normal. She must be evil or something."

"Heero's stone!" Quatre ran up the stairs and into the living room. "Oh, oh, oh, we should play DDR. I'm better when I'm fucked!" Quatre ran into a room attached to the living room and crouched by the 62 inch plasma television screen. He took the Sony PlayStation out from a cabinet and spent fifteen minutes setting it up and duct-taping the Dance Dance Revolution dance pad to the hardwood floor. "You don't wanna slip," Quatre said, smiling.

Heero watched them play for as long as he could. Eventually he got hungry and went into the kitchen where he got a quick Latin lesson by Treize who was pleased to hear Heero was enjoying himself (as long as he wasn't thinking about Duo). Treize said nothing on that topic, just raised a half forked eyebrow in what appeared to be amusement. Heero couldn't tell in his inebriated state and he really didn't care. He had chocolate chip cookies, fruit roll-ups, rice krispies squares and fruit gushers. He was sure he wasn't going to eat all of it, but it all looked so good he couldn't leave any of it behind. He returned to the television room and was surprised to find boxes of pizza lying about. It seemed he had been gone almost an hour, though he didn't think that was right. Looking at his watch he was astonished to see it was twelve forty-two. He didn't think that was right, either. He was positive he hadn't been at Treize's house for just over four hours. He did, however, eat all of the chocolate chip cookies and fruit gushers by himself. He shared the fruit roll-ups with Hilde who roped him into playing a game of Mow Master (where she didn't explain the rules to him) and he ended up forgetting about the rice krispies which Quatre took full advantage off. Heero did, however, indulge in a few pieces of pizza while Hilde broke out another bottle of Tequila and started drinking whenever Heero played a card.

"Am I supposed to drink when you play?" He asked. "I'm very confused. You didn't explain the rules."

"Pick up a card," Hilde ordered.

"Why?" Heero was getting frustrated at the half deck of cards he held in his hand. He picked one up and placed down a three. Hilde didn't do anything; she just stared at him. "What? You're supposed to go."

"Pick up a card," she ordered again.

"Oh, for fuck's sakes, why now?"

Catherine sat down next to him and laughed when she saw how many cards he held. "Here," she offered, holding out her hand, "let me help you."

Heero watched in confusion and the only words that were said were: "pick up a card" and "have a good day". They drank in turn and soon they were laughing and drinking out of turn, the bottle half gone. Heero hand the sneaky suspicion they didn't know what they were doing anymore and were just drinking for the sake of drinking. Their laughter also increased and Heero took that as his cue to leave the two girls to their fun. Heero looked at his watch. It was one thirty-eight and he still felt fine. The weed wasn't wearing off yet (or he wasn't "coming down" as Trowa had put it earlier) and he felt rather fine. In fact, he felt fine enough to wander around the house by himself.

"Heero?" A half hour later Heero walked back down the stairs into the television room to the relief of Trowa who thought he had been abducted by one of Duo's sex crazed friends. "Where were you?"

"So much…there was…and…." Heero's head was shaking slowly from side to side as he sat down on the couch, Trowa sitting next to him.

"So much what, Heero?"

"Sex." Heero turned to him, eyes even wider in disbelief. "There was so much sex."

"Did you go upstairs?" Trowa asked concernedly.

Heero nodded.

"Oh, yeah. We should have warned you. Upstairs is reserved for those who participate, those who watch and those who direct—"

"So, wait, _that's_ what Duo does? He does porn?"

"No!" Quatre sat down on Heero's other side, apparently interested in the conversation. "Never. He doesn't let a camera in the room. Duo lets other people use him so he can feel good about himself for that time. The way he thinks is, if he closes his eyes and pretends they do that stuff to him because they like him he can feel good about himself. He's kinda addicted to it."

"What he needs is—"

"What do I need, hey Heero!" Duo stood in the doorway of the television room even messier than Heero had seen him in the bathroom. His braid was barely a braid and his skin shone with sweat. His white shirt was barely tucked into his black trousers and his belt was done too loose.

Heero looked up at him. He wanted to say something, anything, to quell the fire in Duo's eyes but his mind was blank.

"What, you're all just gunna sit here and talk about me, right? Like I'm the only one here who's ever gotten laid, right!—"

"But, Duo, out of us, you _are_ the only—"

"Shut up, Hilde."

"Bite me, Maxwell. Fuck, why do you have to be such a jerk?"

Heero couldn't stand it. Couldn't Duo see what he had? If Heero had had friends to stick by him through all of his tough times, like Duo did, he would never speak to them like that. Couldn't Duo appreciate that his friends were always there to support him, and to take care of him? Couldn't Duo understand that they were just worried about him and were scared of the consequences for him? Why didn't he know that his friends loved him? Duo was making him sick just thinking about all the blessings he had and took for granted. Unable to bear it anymore, Heero stood up and stormed out of the room. He passed Duo briefly

"You make me sick," Heero muttered and stormed down the stairs back into the empty room he had made his little sanctuary earlier when he had his talk with Trowa.

**TBC.**

**A/N:** Props to ANYONE who knew the insert song was _I Hate Jimmy Page_ by MSI. It's a good song. It's taken me a while to finish this chapter because I wasn't sure how to end it properly. I had a few ideas and this is the one I ended up using. I hope you all enjoyed this installment of Y&Y. I'm really proud of myself for how long my chapters are because they're usually so short. Well, I guess there's a lot going on in this story though. Cheers. Thanks again to DentelleNoir and Katie.


	5. Chapter IV

Yin and Yang  
_By Cobalt 27_

**Summary:** AU. 1 euqals 2;3 equals 4;5 equals M. Heero has no choice but to move to a new school in the middle of his sophomore year and is in for a few surprises. Between going from being a loner to one of the most popular guys, finding that he's more comfortable with homosexuality than he thought, and meeting a nymphomaniac who has a deeper side to him Heero realizes he's in for one hell of a semester.

**Warning: **Drinking, drugs, smoking, sex, swearing, angst and mature adult themes. Hilde and Catherine are 100 percent OOC but I hope you all like my version of their high school girly-ness.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own or have any claim to Gundam Wing, its characters, logos or its affiliations; they belong to Sunrise, Bandai and their affiliated companies. I do not own or have claim to bus names, street names, school names, mascots or logos. I do not own or have claim to the high school that appears in this story. I do not own or have claim to the malls, store names or their logos that appear in this story. I do not own or have claim to songs, lyrics, movies and movie characters, actors, singers or bands that appear in this story. **I own** **all original characters** that do not appear in any anime/manga owned by Sunrise, Bandai or their affiliated companies.

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**Author's Important Note:** Alright, I did something stupid...and I have two chapter fours uploaded and I can't remember which one was beta-ed and which wasn't. So if you find a horrible amount of mistakes in this chapter PLEASE let me know because it's probably the unbeta-ed version. If you don't find much of anything, then please let me know so I'll know to post this version on my other sites because.

**Chapter IV**

Heero woke the next morning in a large and fluffy bed with no recollection of how he got there. The last thing he had remembered was…

"Oh shit." He slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand, eyes wide with disbelief.

After storming out of the room he had stayed downstairs for quite a while before he got bored and found a computer with Internet access. He could remember writing a long and heartfelt e-mail littered with confessions and revelations but he couldn't remember for the life of him _who_ he sent it to. He knew he didn't have Trowa or Quatre's email addresses (or anyone else's for that matter), so who did he send it to? Did he just look through the contact information on the computer? Did he even use his own email address to send it? He couldn't remember.

"Mfhhht…quiet! I'ng sleepin'."

Heero looked to the end of the bed where a very exhausted looking Hilde was curled under a blanket on top of the duvet Heero was wrapped in. He sat up and looked around. Cathy, Relena, and Meilan were on the floor to Heero's right, all tightly wrapped up in fluffy sleeping bags and lying on mounds of pillows. Dorothy was in a sitting position on the loveseat tucked in the corner, her head lolling to the side as she breathed loudly. Wufei, Trowa, and Quatre were asleep on the fold-out couch in the far left of the room near the window and television. So that meant that the large lump next to him was probably…

"Duo!" Heero tried to scoot as far away from him as possible. But he was so tangled in the blankets that Duo was clutching that he couldn't get very far. The commotion caused the other boy to stir. Heero stilled and closed his eyes, wishing that Duo would just go back to sleep.

"Mmmmmmmmaaaah!" Duo stretched and wiped the sleep from the corner of his eyes. Yawning, he turned over and came face to face with Heero. "What the fuck!"

Both boys tried to pull away from each other, but as both of them were tangled in the blankets, they didn't manage to get very far. In fact, all the commotion did was knock Hilde off the end of the bed. She went crashing to the floor and woke in a rage.

"Seriously!" Hilde shouted as she stood. "What is _wrong_ with you two!"

"He started it," Duo said, pointing his index finger at Heero in a very childish way.

"What? I haven't done anything," Heero retorted in his own defense, which was true.

"Are you saying that I started it?" Duo's eyes were dangerously dark as he glared at Heero, his tone low and threatening.

"I don't even know what 'it' is, okay?"

"You know what 'it' is—"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Heero threw his arms up in the air, completely bewildered.

"So you're saying that you don't know why—"

"Both of you!" Hilde interrupted, "Shut up. Seriously. Just give it a rest. We're all burnt and hung over so just shut the fuck up." Hilde grabbed the pillow that fell to the floor with her and stormed out of the room, forsaking the blanket she was previously wrapped in.

"Whatever," Heero stood up, not wanting to argue with anyone. "I'm going to get breakfast."

The loud commotion they had created caused the others to wake, and now Trowa was sitting up and trying to untangle himself from Quatre's limbs. When Heero, who was at the door now, gave him a quizzical look, Trowa blushed and jumped out of the bed.

"He tosses during the night and more often than not I wake up with one of his arms across me…it's nothing." Trowa added the last part to stop the smirk that spread across Heero's face. Heero was sure it wasn't "nothing". Trowa blushed guiltily, but glared none the less as he gingerly untangled himself from the blond to follow Heero.

"I have a problem," Heero said as he and Trowa ascended the basement stairs. "I wrote an email last night and I have no idea who I sent it to, but I don't want anyone to read it. I'm not sure what it says, but I regret writing it."

Trowa nodded slowly as they reached the kitchen. "Well, there's nothing you can do about it now. You'll just have to wait and see if the person you sent it to confronts you about it. If not, then just forget it."

"But…" Heero thought about it, "I don't want to forget it because I'm sure it was a very personal email. I don't tell many people much about my personal life. I need to know who I sent it to because I need to know what other people know about me."

"Heero," Trowa placed a hand on his shoulder and guided him to the small line that was forming inside the kitchen. "Just forget about it for now. You can worry about it later, maybe if you remember more."

"Yeah," Heero nodded. "Yeah, okay."

The two boys slowly moved up the line and grabbed a plate. Heero was kind of shocked that breakfast was actually a buffet. Treize had his cooking staff serve scrambled eggs, bacon, breakfast sausages, ham, eggs Benedict, pancakes, waffles, and toast (white and whole wheat) in buffet containers. On the side were small boxes of cereal and milk cartons, apple and orange juice boxes, and a coffee stand.

"Wow." Heero looked around at all the food. "You'd think you were at a restaurant or something."

"Yeah," Trowa chuckled. "Or something is right."

It was around this time that disaster decided to strike (either that or Duo was being used as a pawn by some deity that really disliked Heero) because Duo Maxwell, in all his pissed-off glory, stormed up the stairs, down the hallway, and into the kitchen. Just as Heero was scooping some scrambled eggs onto his plate, Duo decided to cut past Trowa, elbowing Heero, who then proceeded to drop his egg covered plate on the floor.

"Duo!" Trowa scolded.

Heero was a little more than pissed as well, and couldn't contain the words that were bottled up inside him.

"Way to go, fucktard."

"What did you just say?" Duo took a step toward Heero, puffing his chest out as he tried to stare him down.

Heero, not fazed by Duo's intimidation, repeated himself, annunciating each word clearly, "I said 'Way. To. Go. Fucktard'. Didn't you catch that the first time?"

"Why you!" Duo shoved Heero's shoulder and he stumbled back a step.

Heero would rather eat nails then let Duo push him around, but he didn't want to start a fight at a party. He was torn, but out of respect for Treize and the fact that he was a guest in his house and not in his own home (or a public place where it really wouldn't matter) he turned his back on Duo and ignored him.

"Forget it. I don't want breakfast anyway. Eating near the likes of you is enough to make me sick." And with that Heero left the kitchen.

Duo, however, was far from finished. It was the second "you make me sick" comment he had heard from Heero in less than twenty-four hours and he wasn't going to put up with it. Marching after him, Duo decided to settle it once and for all. Catching him in the hallway Duo grabbed Heero by the arm and spun him around.

"What!" Heero was infuriated and was about to lose his control. But before he could say or do anything else Duo hauled off and punched him in the face. Heero's knee-jerk reaction was to punch Duo back. So he did. In the stomach. Hard. And Duo doubled over in pain as he collapsed onto his knees on the cool wood flooring in the hallway.

"Why…why…why in the…" Duo gasped for air as his anger rose. How _dare_ Heero do that to him!

"That's one for one." Heero's cold voice did nothing but spur Duo on.

Duo reached for the nearest weapon. It was actually a decoration piece (Treize's hallways were full of decoration pieces) but it was in essence a steel pipe. Duo brought it back and cracked it as hard as he could across Heero's shin--the only place he could reach.

"Sonofabitch!" Heero dropped to the floor, the sound of his swearing mixed with the loud crack of bones echoing down the hall as his bottom hit the floor. "Fucking bastard!"

Duo lunged at Heero, knocking him onto his back as both boys wrestled for dominance in the hallway. They rolled around, pinning each other periodically until the underdog managed to overcome the other. This continued for a while, each boy throwing punches when he had the opportunity, and a large crowd formed to watch. Trowa and Quatre were yelling at both of them to stop being ridiculous and to break it up, but neither boy seemed to hear them. It was only when a single loud clapping was heard that either boy managed to look up. Treize was standing at the end of the hallway watching the scene before him.

"Splendid performance, young masters, just splendid."

Both Heero and Duo rushed to their feet, Heero supporting his weight with the leg that wasn't broken. Embarrassed and ashamed, Heero bowed his head and began apologizing while Treize waved Heero's words away.

"It's human nature to fight," Treize said with a smile as he motioned for the crowd to disappear. Only Trowa, Quatre, and Relena stayed in the hallway with Heero, Duo, and Treize. "I have a medical staff that can look at your leg."

"No, thank you." Heero couldn't believe how disrespectful he had been in Treize's house. After all, he was a guest! "I can't ask any more of you. I truly am sorry."

"Nonsense, both of you can go get looked at. It's in the south wing." With that Treize turned on his heels and walked down the hallway and out of sight.

"C'mon." Trowa walked over to Heero and put Heero's arm around his shoulder. With pain shooting terribly up his leg, Heero hobbled down the hallway with Trowa.

"I'm alright, really." Heero couldn't bring himself to take advantage of Treize's hospitality when he had been so rude in his house.

"You don't understand Treize, yet. Stop being stubborn." Trowa took the wounded Heero to Treize's infirmary, Quatre silently following behind the two.

X-X-X

"What the hell?" Odin cocked his brow as he opened the door to his apartment. "Heero, what happened!"

Heero's shoulders sunk as if to say "don't ask". He hobbled into the apartment on crutches and a plastic boot that covered his thick cast. Because he was able to get a cast right away the damage to his leg was minimal.

"I got into a fight with Duo this morning…and I fractured my leg." Heero staggered into his bedroom where he dropped his bag on his bed and grabbed his weekend homework. He planned to sit on the couch, finish his stack of work, and not move for the rest of the weekend.

"How come you didn't call me from the hospital?" Odin sat on the arm of the thin upholstery as Heero's books monopolized the couch cushions.

"Because I didn't go to the hospital. Treize's family has their own infirmary."

"Oh…well." Odin wasn't sure what to say to that, but Heero could tell that his nose was slightly out of joint. "So, conventional medical treatment is—"

"Odin, it's not like that. Treize's doctor is a real doctor." Heero pulled out his religion assignment. "Relax, it doesn't mean anything."

"You still could've called me. I would've taken you to a _real_ hospital." Odin's voice was quiet as he almost pouted.

"It's not a big deal, a hairline fracture. I'm over it."

X-X-X

"Well, why don't we have the party at Heero's?" Catherine nudged Heero as they walked down the hallway toward the front entrance of the school. School had been let out for five minutes. As Meilan was in the art club, she had stayed behind, so they took the Meilan-free time as an opportunity to plan her surprise birthday party. "After all, no one's been there but Trowa. It's still a mysterious place." She winked.

"Odin's going to his uncle J's that weekend; he's helping him with a project. So, I don't really think he'd want people over." Heero casually took a half step away from Catherine (he didn't need his crutches anymore). Sometimes she was just creepy.

"Aw, that'd be perfect for the party, no parents!" Hilde cheered. "C'mon, Heero."

"My place really isn't big enough to accommodate all of you, honestly." Heero shook his head. "And I can't betray Odin's trust like that. I won't."

"Oh, is he like your dad or something?" Hilde asked.

"Yeah."

"Are your parents divorced or something?"

Heero took a moment to think about that. He didn't know his birth parents and he had no idea if they were even alive. Odin was the only parent he had and as far back as Heero could remember it had always been just the two of them. He couldn't even recall Odin dating anyone.

"Hilde," Quatre scolded, "you shouldn't ask such bold questions."

"It's okay." Heero spoke up. "Odin is the only parent I've ever known, and I don't think he's ever been married."

"You don't know?"

"We don't speak much of his life before he adopted me. That's his private business and I respect that."

"Well, I know we can't have the party at our place," Catherine spoke up, "our parents are entertaining guests from out of town. I guess we'll have to have Meilan's birthday party at either Quatre's house or—"

"Oh! Let's do it at Duo's!" Hilde spoke up. "His parents are never home so that would make it perfect."

"Whatever." Duo's monotone reply sounded as evidence that he was at least paying attention to the conversation. He barely had said anything since the fight at Treize's party six days ago.

"Alright. It's settled. The party will be at Duo's. I better go back to the art room before Meilan suspects something," Wufei nodded to everyone and turned around, walking in the opposite direction down the hallway.

Great! Heero felt obligated to go because he got along so well with Meilan and Wufei, but with the party at Duo's house he wasn't looking forward to going. Taking it with a grain of salt, and knowing he'll have to deal with it, he just closed his eyes and mentally counted to ten to clear all his thoughts. He had to put on a good face because they were all heading to the mall, as was their Friday ritual, and he had an envelope full of resumes he wanted to hand out. He couldn't find anything suitable for his restricted hours in the classified ads, so he decided to hit the mall where they would most likely need after school help.

It had taken just over forty-five minutes and two buses to get to the mall, but Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Relena, Hilde, Catherine, and Dorothy all sat in the food court munching on assortments of fast food.

"Well," Dorothy stood with her tray, turning to the table the four boys sat at, "I hope you four don't mind but we're going to go lady shopping."

"Yeah," Hilde added as Dorothy took her tray to the garbage. "They're having an underwear sale. Three thongs for fifteen bucks and I doubt you guys want to come. Well, Quatre might—"

"Bite me Schbieker!" Quatre flipped her off. "I told you, that was for a Halloween costume."

"Right," Hilde winked. "I bet you're wearing that thong right now."

"Am not!" Quatre blushed from embarrassment. He was not, in fact, wearing a thong. He much preferred boxers, anyway.

"Prove it," Hilde smirked daringly.

Quatre stood and lifted his school shirt up around his waist with one hand. With the other hand he gave the side of his school pants a little tug to reveal a navy blue, light yellow and white plaid boxer elastic band. With a satisfying, "see?" look etched on his face, Quatre gave Hilde a little nod and then sat down once again.

"That's it?" Hilde shook her head.

"We're in the middle of the mall; I'm not dropping my drawers if that's what you were getting at." Quatre furrowed his brow as he pointed an accusing finger at Hilde.

"Anyway, come on ladies," Dorothy began to lead the way.

"Good riddance," Quatre muttered under his breath. "Sometimes those girls are just…"

Trowa started laughing, remembering what Heero said at Treize's party.

"Evil, right Heero?"

Heero rolled his eyes and smirked. "Yeah, whatever. You have to at least admit she _looks_ evil."

"Who?" Quatre was very confused as he looked between Trowa and Heero.

"Dorothy—"

"Well, her eyebrows are forked, Trowa. That's not normal." Heero took the last bite of his sub and emptied his tray in the garbage. The others were laughing, except Duo who seemed to be staring at the floor in deep contemplation. When Heero got back to the table he changed the subject. "I'm going to go hand out resumes. So, I guess I'll see you guys on Monday—"

"Don't be ridiculous. We'll go with you." Quatre emptied his and Trowa's trays into the garbage.

"No, you don't have to. I'm sure there are other things you three would rather be doing than following me around."

"It's no problem, right Duo?" Trowa turned to Duo who had a large frown on his face.

"Sure." Duo stood and emptied his tray. Almost lifelessly he followed the other three around the mall dropping off Heero's resumes, every once in a while catching something one of the other three said, or someone laughing. He just didn't feel like doing anything anymore.

The truth was he felt like shit after breaking Heero's leg and was angry at himself that he couldn't apologize to Heero because doing so would leave him vulnerable. And he just couldn't afford to be vulnerable. He had noticed, though, that he hadn't smiled much since Heero showed up at school and he was starting to wonder if he'd ever be able to smile again.

X-X-X

"Well?" Odin sat on a bench in the mall right outside of Chapters, the bookstore. "How'd it go?" He stood up as Heero walked out of the large entrance with a small smile on his face.

"I got the job. I start next Tuesday."

"That's great!" Odin nodded as the two of them began to walk through the mall. "They didn't say anything about the boot?" Odin motioned to Heero's leg.

"No. They just said that for now, because I'll just be in training, they won't have me do anything too strenuous, but once I get the cast off I'm expected to have full responsibilities."

Odin nodded. "That's fair, but hey! This is great. Not many places are hiring part-time this time of year."

"Yeah, this way I can buy Meilan a birthday present."

Odin cocked his brow as he looked sideways at Heero. Almost elbowing him he spoke: "Meilan, hey?"

Rolling his eyes and sighing, Heero playfully punched Odin in the arm. Heero had never mentioned liking anyone, so he wondered why Odin did this every time he mentioned one of his female friends' names. "No, Odin. She's the engaged one, remember? We've been through this."

"Oh, yeah…that's right. What about that Relena girl you've talked about?"

"She's a lesbian. And I don't like any of them, alright? They all creep me out, actually—"

"HEERO!"

"Shit." Heero unwillingly turned to where his name had been called. Running toward him in vibrant colours (for it was unusual for Heero to see his friends out of their school uniform) was Hilde, Catherine, and Relena. It wasn't as if he didn't like his new friends. In fact, he liked them a lot. He just didn't like the girls when Trowa wasn't around. All of the female energy seemed to slightly upset him. They were all very physical girls, with their hugging and touching…and Heero, well he wasn't very physical at all.

"Friends of yours?"

Heero didn't have time to respond to Odin as Hilde flew through the air and glomped him, giving him a tight hug. He was slowly getting used to this, but it still felt strange to him. She eventually let him go and Catherine and Relena hugged him as well.

"We're going to see Brokeback Mountain, wanna come?" Relena asked.

"Can't," Heero shook his head. "I'm here with Odin—"

"Well, I can head home if you want to stay here," Odin offered.

"We came together," Heero said, turning to face Odin and giving him a stern look.

Odin understood. Heero didn't want to go. But Heero didn't have a choice in the matter.

"No, no." Odin smiled. "It's okay. I only brought you here for your interview at Chapters. Here," Odin reached for his wallet and handed Heero a twenty, winking. "You can pay me back when you get your first pay cheque."

"Oooh!" Hilde squealed, "Did you get the job?"

"Yeah," Heero nodded.

"Awesome, then you can come with us!" Catherine grabbed Heero's arm and waved goodbye to Odin as she dragged the protesting boy through the mall toward the movie theater. "We're meeting Duo there. He's supposed to be with some guy he might start dating."

"We're sitting in the back," Trent ordered as Duo followed him.

Heero rolled his eyes as he, Catherine, Hilde and Relena followed the other two into the movie theater. Heero didn't like Trent. He was rude, demanding, and short with his words. He had a cold look in his dull brown eyes and his hair, which looked like Trent had made a point to make it look like he had just rolled out of bed, was an ugly mousy brown that made it look dull and dead. His skin was pale and his eyes had dark circles around them. All in all, Heero was not getting a good vibe from this guy.

"I hate the back," Relena protested.

"Fine, then you can sit wherever you want, alone. We're sitting in the back." Trent grabbed the end of Duo's braid and coiled it around his wrist like a leash. He led Duo up the small stairs to the back row of the theater, and everyone else followed.

"I actually don't like my hair being touched," Duo said softly as he tried to retrieve the end of his braid from Trent's grasp.

"I like it; it's soft." Trent let it go, though, and gave Duo's butt a little smack as they shuffled to their seats.

So it was Relena, Hilde, Catherine, Heero, Duo, and Trent all nicely tucked into the middle of the back row. There were only a few other people trickling into the theater, but they didn't go near the group. When the movie started Heero counted seventeen people in the movie theater including the six of them.

"Maybe this movie's a bust?" Hilde wondered as she looked around the vast theater.

"Nah, it did really good on opening week," Catherine told her. "We're like, the last people to see it. I bet all those people have seen it already."

"You think?"

"Dir, Heath and Jake? I don't know why we waited so long to see it in the first place…"

Heero tried to tune the two girls out. He hated, absolutely hated, people who talked through movies. He especially hated when the conversation wasn't pertinent to the actual movie itself. And Hilde and Catherine had gone into a whole new world of conversation Heero wasn't sure he wanted to listen to.

"But seriously, I heard it feels like ya gotta shit. It's not supposed to feel good for girls. Those girls in porns, they're totally faking it; they don't like it."

"You'd think it'd feel the same, wouldn't you?" Relena butted in.

"No."

Heero grit his teeth and tried his damnedest to get his eleven bucks worth out of the movie he was forced to go see. But with three girls squabbling like seagulls next to him about anal sex, and Duo and Trent smacking lips like a glutton eating chicken, Heero was about to freak out.

"Heero, what do you think?" Catherine asked him.

"I think I'm going to smack the three of you if you don't shut up and let me watch this movie." Heero hadn't meant to say it, but he was kinda glad he did. The girls laughed a little and then calmed down.

"Alright, we get the point." Catherine and the others relaxed into their chairs and, instead of facing each other, faced the screen.

Heero, able to ignore Duo and Trent, relaxed and began to enjoy the movie. However, with only a half hour into the movie Heero couldn't help but look to his right. Trent and Duo had been making more than kissing noises and it was very distracting.

"Can you two—what the fuck."

Trent was leaning back in his chair, head rolling from side to side, and Duo was bent over in his seat with his head bobbing up and down. Trent reached for Duo's head and, grabbing his hair tight by his skull, pushed Duo down deeper. Duo made a small choking noise, but Trent kept pushing. Duo's choking noises became louder and he tried to sit up, but Trent had a firm grasp on his head.

Heero reached for Trent's arm and grasped it firmly. He squeezed it tight as he forced Trent to release Duo.

"Let him go." Heero's tone was low and dangerous, his eyes burning with anger as he squeezed the bone in Trent's arm.

Duo was able to sit up and breathe again. Tears welling in his eyes he stood from his seat and almost jumped over his friends to get out of the aisle. He ran down the low steps, around the corner and out of the theater. Trent stood and went to follow him, but Heero also stood. Blocking Trent, Heero pushed him back in his seat and quickly hobbled after Duo. He got through the theater doors just to see a braid slip into the boys' washroom at the end of the hallway.

"Duo?" Heero pushed the door open to find Duo leaning on the sink counter, both palms flat against the yellow surface, staring into the mirror.

"What the fuck do you want?" Duo turned around to face Heero who stepped into the washroom letting the door close behind him.

"Why are you mad at me?" Heero took a few steps toward Duo, his running shoe and boot echoing with every step he took.

"Why shouldn't I be mad at you?" Duo's eyes were angry and full of fire.

"You were choking; I helped you. You shouldn't have been giving him a blow job in a movie theater anyway!"

"What's with you all telling me what I can and can't do! Trent wasn't choking me—"

"No, he was just forcing his dick down your throat, Jesus! Duo, why are you so damned blind? Why do you let yourself be used?" Heero was starting to get angry now; his body temperature rose as he clenched his fists by his side and grit his teeth.

"What the fuck do you know about blindness? What the fuck do you know about being used? Huh!"

Heero turned away from Duo in a need to release some of his anger. Punching the stall wall next to him, hard, the paint cracked where Heero's knuckles left a dent. His breathing was ragged and he was beginning to tremble with anger and frustration, but he felt a little better.

"What?" Duo asked threateningly. "You wanna hit me?"

Heero said and did nothing.

"Go ahead and hit me."

Heero diverted his eyes to the ground as he regained control of his breathing.

"Go ahead! Come on!" Duo pounded his chest once, full of rage though Heero still didn't move a single muscle. "C'mon hit me; hit me you sonofabitch, fucking hit me!"

"Why?"

Duo ran at Heero and pushed him against the back wall. Holding his shirt tightly in his fist, Duo was face to face with Heero as he used his body to pin the youth to the cold tiled wall.

"Why?" Duo gave Heero a shove. "Why? _Why!_ So I can stop feeling guilty!"

It was then, with Duo closer to him than he had ever been, Heero noticed how sad his eyes really looked. Duo's face was sweaty and pale, his eyes slightly red and dull. It looked like there had never been any mirth in his face.

"God, Duo," Heero whispered. "Look at you. Haven't you ever smiled? You're so angry all the time."

"You don't know a goddamned thing about me, Heero-fucking-Yuy. Not a goddamned thing!" Duo gave him another harder shove and fled the washroom, leaving Heero's mind reeling.

**TBC.**

**A/N:** I swear Duo isn't a nymphomaniac for the sake of being a nymphomaniac. There's a lot more under his anger. Anyway, I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm moving along a little slower than I anticipated but I'm hoping to have this story done before the end of summer when I have to go back to University (because only god knows when I'll have a chance to write then). I know it's kinda typical that they went to see Brokeback Mountain, so sue me…tee hee hee hee.


	6. Chapter V

Yin and Yang  
_By Cobalt 27_

**Summary:** AU. 1 equals 2; 3 equals 4; 5 equals M. Heero has no choice but to move to a new school in the middle of his sophomore year and is in for a few surprises. Between going from being a loner to one of the most popular guys, finding that he's more comfortable with homosexuality than he thought, and meeting a nymphomaniac who has a deeper side to him Heero realizes he's in for one hell of a semester.

**Warning: **Drinking, drugs, smoking, sex, swearing, angst and mature adult themes. Hilde and Catherine are 100 percent OOC but I hope you all like my version of their high school girly-ness.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own or have any claim to Gundam Wing, its characters, logos or its affiliations; they belong to Sunrise, Bandai and their affiliated companies. I do not own or have claim to bus names, street names, school names, mascots or logos. I do not own or have claim to the high school that appears in this story. I do not own or have claim to the malls, store names or their logos that appear in this story. I do not own or have claim to songs, lyrics, movies and movie characters, actors, singers or bands that appear in this story. **I own** **all original characters** that do not appear in any anime/manga owned by Sunrise, Bandai or their affiliated companies.

* * *

**Chapter V**

Heero sat in front of the computer monitor in the library during English class. He was supposed to be researching for his essay on Milton's _Paradise Lost_ but, like the other students in his class, he was checking his email because, unlike the other students in his class, he had finished his first draft already. This was actually the first time he had an opportunity to check his email since Treize's party and he was very nervous. Noticing he had one new email, he clicked on his Inbox link and held his breath...

…Then released it.

It was a Post Delivery Failure notice. With a sigh of relief, Heero clicked on the message to see who he tried to send it to.

"Thank God," Heero muttered under his breath.

"You're welcome." Trowa sat at the empty terminal next to Heero.

"Yeah, right." Heero pointed to the screen, "Remember that email I told you about? Well, apparently you can't just type the person's name in the address field."

"Wow, that's news to me," Trowa smirked sarcastically.

Heero nodded and then read the copy of the email that was sent back with the failure notice. He had written the letter while he was still stoned so he was kind of curious to see how much of an ass he made of himself and how bad his typing was.

_Duo…duoduoduoduoduo…you have the best name in the whole world. And your really beautiful._

Heero's brow furrowed when he came to the word beautiful. He would never use that word to describe anyone, especially another boy.

_You're the most beautiful person that's ever hated me. I want you to stop the thnigs you do that you hurt you. I'm not sure what they all are but I want you to stop. I don't know why I got stoend, but it was that look in your beautiful eyes. I rememember when I first saw thme. I thought they that they weren't real and I just want to tell you that they're real now. You're so real and beautiful. Everything about you. I understand why guys have sex with you all the time.. Its cuz you're so beautiful and I know you're jus so so beautiful._

Heero could feel the flush of embarrassment as he turned to see if Trowa was reading the letter. Trowa was casually checking his email at the terminal next to his, almost purposely ignoring Heero. Thankful that Trowa was at least giving him some privacy, he read on.

_But you know and you don't want to kiss me because you want to kiss other boys. I'll make you change your mind and then you'll know your eyes are real too._

There was no way he wrote that! Why would he write that? It's not like he had any feelings toward Duo. He leaned back in his chair and raked his fingers through his hair. Releasing the breath he held with a sigh, he drew his hands down his face.

"Alright, so the letter was to Duo." Heero turned to Trowa who kept his eyes glued onto his own monitor.

"I figured as much," he said with a flat tone and an unmoving expression. But Heero thought, just for a split second, he saw the end of Trowa's lips curl into the faintest of smirks.

X-X-X

"Hey."

Quatre, Trowa, and Duo walked up to Heero who was standing with a box of books and a box of acrylics (little clear plastic mini-shelves that clip onto slots in the groves on the walls). Heero had been setting up a book display and was just setting the last acrylic into place.

"Oh, hey." Heero reached for a stack of books that he had already put a sale sticker on and placed them on one of the shelves. He continued stocking the display as Quatre kept talking.

"It totally sucks that you have to work Fridays sometimes, but you're still going to Meilan's party, right?"

"Yeah," Heero nodded. "I normally start at five and we close at ten, so it's not that bad. I can still hang out with you guys on Fridays for a bit, and I'll just be a little late for Meilan's party."

"Aw, so you'll miss the surprise part."

Heero nodded. "What are you guys doing here on a Wednesday, anyway?"

"We're looking for presents for Meilan," Quatre smiled.

"That reminds me," Heero started, "I have no idea what to get her. I've never had to buy a girl a birthday present before."

"Really?" Quatre's brow furrowed. He would have thought that Heero would have at least had to buy a cousin a present…or something. To hear that he had never purchased a birthday present for a girl make Quatre wonder just how alone Heero had been at his last school.

"Well, she likes art stuff, but nothing too expensive or she'll get mad. She'll already be mad enough that we're throwing her a party. She's very selfless that way. And about the party, how are you getting there?"

"Oh." He straightened as he placed the last book on a shelf and turned fully to face his friends. Heero really hadn't thought of that. He supposed under normal circumstances Odin would have given him a ride, but Odin would be with his uncle J. Everyone else would already be there, and he doubted a bus took him to Duo's. "I'll take a cab, so I'll need the address."

"Nonsense." Quatre waved Heero's words aside. "We'll send someone to come and pick you up—"

"You guys don't need to do that, honestly—"

"Listen to the man, Quat," Duo spoke softly. "For once he's right."

Quatre sighed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Duo. Anyway. We'll be _at_ Duo's so we'll just get one of his drivers to go get you. How's that sound? And before you start protesting, this way you won't have to pay for a cab and you won't get lost looking for the house."

"I…" Heero started, but Quatre cut him off swiftly.

"Good, it's settled then. One of Duo's drivers will be here at ten. Um, we'll probably send him in the limo so you recognize him, okay?"

"A limo?" Heero's eyes were wide with disbelief. There was no reason for Quatre to go all out and send a limo to pick him up. Now that he thought about it, having a limo pick him up after work might raise some questions from his new co-workers. And that, Heero thought, was a little embarrassing. "You guys don't need to…honestly, that's too much to ask—"

"You didn't ask." Trowa smiled. "Don't worry about it. Just have everything you need with you for Friday.

Just then one of Heero's co-workers, a night-time supervisor, happened to walk by the four boys standing next to the display rack. Figuring that Heero was just a typical teenager slacking off because his friends showed up, Nancy took an authoritative stance near the bottom of the steps.

"Heero, you can't have friends visiting you at work—"

"We're terribly sorry." Trowa smiled as he gave Heero a curt nod and turned from him. "We were just on our way."

"Oh…okay." Nancy was taken aback by the tall, lithe, defiantly handsome, teen, who was dripping enough charm to make even her cheeks blush. She turned from the boys and continued her check of the store, disappearing into the aisles near the bottom of the steps.

"Yeah, I better finish the displays." Heero placed the book he had been holding on an acrylic. "So, I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Yeah, you have work to do." Duo walked toward the wall display and flung the books to the floor, some of the acrylics sliding in the wall slots and falling to the floor. They all landed at Heero's feet, pages fluttering and hard covers and acrylics making a hallow "thunk" noise as they crashed into each other. "Go ahead, Heero. Clean it up."

"Duo!" Quatre's was aghast as he scolded Duo's behaviour. "Pick those up!"

"No." Duo folded his arms across his chest and turned his head away from the other three, refusing to say or do anything more.

Heero grit his teeth and bent down, picking the books up. He couldn't stand Duo being anywhere near him any longer, and was considering not going to Meilan's birthday just because of Duo. But he knew that wasn't fair to Meilan, and he couldn't ostracize himself from his new friends because Duo made him want to break things, set fire to them, and then shove the burning ashes down Duo's throat.

"You're being ridiculous, you know that? Since when have you been so childish and selfish!" Quatre bent down and began helping Heero pick up the books.

"Is there a problem here?" Nancy reappeared at the bottom of the steps, arms folded across her chest and a very stern look on her plump features.

"Sorry, no." Trowa grabbed Duo by the arm and began to drag him away from Heero and Quatre. "A misunderstanding, really."

"You shouldn't let that asshole work here—"

"Duo! Stop being so damned rude." Trowa tightened his grip on Duo's arm. "Just because Heero's our friend doesn't mean you have to be a jealous little shit-head. You've already caused him enough trouble; stop trying to get him fired. Now, let's go." Trowa gave Quatre a meaningful look that clearly said 'I'll meet you outside'.

"Look Heero, I'm really, really, really sorry that Duo is being this way. Honestly, he's not normally like this…just when he gets around you. We'll talk to him before Meilan's party, though. None of us want a repeat of what happened last time," Quatre motioned to Heero's leg, which was still in a thick plastic boot, as he handed Heero the last few books to restock. Turning to Nancy, he bowed his head and began to apologize. "I'm terribly sorry for the trouble our friend has caused. I assure you we won't permit him to harass your employees any further. I'd be more than willing to pay for the damages he may have caused to your display." Quatre reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a cheque book.

"Oh," Nancy was taken aback for the second time since meeting her employee's friends. "Well, they seem to be alright." She looked at the pile of books Heero held, and the ones he had returned to the shelf. "They're fine. There's no need for that, thank you though."

"Again, we're terribly sorry." Quatre gave a final bow and trotted down the steps and disappeared around a bookshelf.

X-X-X

"Check it out!" Peter, a short Canadian-born-Asian who worked with Heero, exclaimed as Heero exited the Chapters doors after cleaning up and punching out. "Dude, it's a limo. Sweet, eh?"

Parked in the "No Parking" zone was a sleek and shiny black stretch limo, polished right down to the bolts in the hubcap. Leaning casually on the limo door stood a tall and thin seemingly apathetic man in a blue and red suit with a matching hat.

"Um, yeah," Heero blushed as he walked over to the chauffeur who looked Heero over.

"Dude, no freaking way. This is for you!" Peter stood wide eyed and shocked, unable to move from his position in front of the door. "What's the occasion?"

"Um," Heero's blush deepened as he noticed Peter was drawing the attention of his other co-workers. "Just a birthday party," Heero muttered as the chauffeur pushed off the limo and opened the door so Heero could climb in.

The chauffeur closed the door after Heero had climbed in, and they took off once the driver had returned to his seat. Heero bowed his head and looked away from his co-workers, just catching Peter mouthing the words "no way".

He felt bad enough taking advantage of Quatre's hospitality, but a small guilty part of him was enjoying using Duo's limo when it obviously bothered him so much. It was the same small part of him that couldn't stop thinking about the email he had tried to send Duo during Treize's party.

What had possessed him to say those things, to attempt to tell Duo those things that he was sure he never meant? Was it the fact that he had been high? Well, that settled it then. If Meilan's party was anything like Treize's he was not, and he meant _absolutely not_, getting stoned.

Unlike Treize's party, they didn't have to take a twenty minute drive out of the city. Duo lived on the waterfront about five minutes out of the township of Tecumseh in a small subdivision of very large houses. Heero would go as far as to say they were mansions, although not as grand as Treize's "humble abode".

The chauffeur pulled into a long and winding driveway at the end of the subdivision, the house that probably had the best view of the water. He remembered Quatre saying that he lived next to Duo, and looked on either side of the house they were pulling up to. Both of the houses were just as large and impressive as Duo's, and Heero couldn't figure out which one was Quatre's.

They pulled up to the front door, and the chauffeur got out and opened the door for Heero. Grabbing his backpack full of his things, he exited the limo and bowed to the silent chauffeur who then turned away from Heero and got back into the limo. He drove by the house and around the side, out of sight, to where Heero assumed was a garage or something. Adjusting the strap on his shoulder, Heero walked up to the polished door set into the house, beyond large stone pillars and exotic shrubs lining the front of the house under the large curtain drawn window. Heero could hear the faint hum of music and the boisterous shouts of teenagers enjoying themselves with no supervision around.

Heero knocked on the door and wondered if anyone would hear him over the loud noises inside. Sure enough, a shadowed figure appeared on the other side of the textured glass that covered the front door. The door opened and a petite, and very beautiful, Japanese woman answered the door. The look of shock on her face confused Heero. She stood there, clutching her apron, with her jaw hanging loose and her dark eyes wide.

"Kenji? It is…oh, oh I am sorry." She bowed her head, speaking with a very heavy accent. "I thought you were someone else."

"Daijobu."

"Nihongo o hanasu." She smiled as she stepped back, giving Heero room to pass.

"Hai."

"You are here for Meilan's party? Down that hallway." She pointed to the left exit from the foyer.

Heero entered into a large marbled foyer with pillars positioned near the door and ivory sheer curtains hanging stylishly from a chandelier in the center of the grand foyer. Heero felt the need to take his shoes off so as not to dirty the tiled flooring and the obviously expensive import carpet that was in the center of the foyer, but when he looked around and noticed there was no stock pile of shoes he figured that all the guests were still wearing their footwear.

Heero followed the directions he was given by the maid, and he found his friends in a large smoky sitting room full of bottles and blaring music. There weren't nearly half as many people in the sitting room as there was at Treize's party, and he figured it had more to do with the fact that all the people invited to the birthday party were friends, or at least acquaintances, of Meilan.

_(By the time you come home  
I'm already stoned  
You turn off the TV  
And you scream at me  
I can hardly wait  
Till you get off my case)_

"Heero! I'm so glad you made it." Meilan walked over to Heero and gave him a hug.

He reached into his bag and pulled out her present. "Happy birthday, Meilan." Heero handed her the gift and she hugged him again.

"Thank you."

And before Meilan could open it, she was whisked away by Hilde and Relena leaving Heero to stand by himself until he saw Quatre wave him over. Trowa, Quatre, and Duo were sitting on a large and puffy leather couch tucked into the corner of the room. Trowa was sitting next to the armrest with Quatre comfortably next to him. Duo was next to Quatre and was leaning over the table in front of the couch, repeatedly filling a shot glass with vodka and belting it back like a professional.

The last time Heero saw Duo he has caused a scene at his work, and Heero wasn't so keen on forgiving him this time. But there was something in Duo's eyes, when he looked up and saw Heero approach before he paused with the shot glass in mid air and took it back, that made Heero lose his resolve in telling Duo off. What was with him lately? How come every time Duo looked at him, he lost his nerve? Did he pity Duo? Or was his mind constantly dwelling on the email that never reached Duo?

"Sit down," Quatre urged.

The only spot left on the couch was next to the other armrest, right next to Duo. With a sigh, Heero took a seat, turning slightly to look at Trowa and Quatre when he spoke to them. The downside was that he could also see Duo's every movement.

"Did you get here alright? You didn't have a problem with the driver or anything?" Quatre asked as he sipped on a large glass of what appeared to be orange juice. Although, with Duo's bottle of vodka within grasp, Heero doubted that it was just orange juice.

"No, I got here alright." Then Heero though of the maid at the door and what she said. "But, who's Kenji?"

Duo slammed his shot glass on the table and looked at Heero. Silence fell around them, and Heero looked from person to person. Obviously, he hit a nerve.

"How dare you—!"

"Duo, he doesn't know." Quatre scolded.

A very large nerve.

"I'm sorry if I've said—" Heero wanted to at least apologize, even if he didn't care if he pissed Duo off. He didn't like the awkward silence he caused.

"You don't know a goddamned thing!" Duo stood up, pushing past Heero, with the vodka bottle in hand.

"Duo, don't start. This is Meilan's party." Trowa warned, but Duo ignored him.

He walked across the room and found Trent sitting in a chair with a glass of Canadian Club, grabbed the smirking boy by the arm and led him out of the room and down the hall, presumably to Duo's bedroom. Heero shook his head. He was really starting to dislike Duo and his substance abuse and sexual addiction problems. Heero turned back to Trowa as the noise level increased and things went back to normal, without Duo.

"What did I say?"

"How did you hear that name?" Quatre asked, crossing his legs.

"The woman, when she answered the door, called me Kenji."

"Well," Relena took the spot where Duo had previously occupied. "You do look a little like him, don't you? But we're all supposed to pretend he doesn't exist. No one's seen him in years, but I'd think he'd look the way you look now."

Heero was taken aback by this information. Why would people, as kind as Trowa and Quatre, ignore the existence of someone? And was it that reason, that Heero reminded them of him, that Trowa welcomed him into their circle of friends in the first place? Was Heero a replacement?

"I don't get it; who is this guy?"

"Let's go for a walk. I'll explain everything." Trowa stood up and left Quatre behind with Relena.

Heero and Trowa left the smoky and loud room to roam the polished hallways. It was then, looking at Trowa, that Heero saw the red puffiness around Trowa's eyes and realized he was already stoned. That served to remind Heero that he refused to smoke pot, because it lead to him being irresponsible and sending stupid emails that he never would send if he were in his right mind.

"Duo's family is different, but at the same time they're the same as anyone's. They have more money, so they have more problems, and although some people think money really does buy happiness, it also causes suffering. Duo's parents ignore him, completely. They don't know how old he is, or even when his birthday is. Duo's nanny, the woman that answered the door, is in charge of making sure they get memos about things like that, but they still manage to forget."

They were now in the foyer, and Trowa kept walking straight to the right exit, and down a hallway.

"And it's more than they just forget about him. When he's talking to them, they'll stop paying attention and just wander off. One time, he broke his arm and they didn't even take him to a hospital. They forgot to—"

"How can you forget to take your son to the hospital?" Heero questioned.

"The phone rang. The phone is always more important than Duo. And on top of that, there's so much fighting in this house. Quatre can hear it from next door, whenever Duo's parents are home, that is. Duo's the type of person that always needs attention, and his own parents don't realize that they have a son sometimes."

"Yeah, but what does this have to do with—"

"I'm getting there."

"Duo's nanny, Shizuka, had a son shortly after Duo was born. No one ever said anything, but the woman lives here, and there's a strict policy about servants not allowed to get involved with each other. So, logically, everyone knew who the father was—"

"Duo has a brother?"

"Yeah, a half brother. Kenji, after all, means 'strong second son', right? Duo's mother was furious, and it should have broken up the marriage, but it didn't. Shizuka is still Duo's father's mistress, and Duo's mom often brings men over, and they fight about that a lot. Anyway, Duo's mother made them send Kenji away. He lives in Japan now with Shizuka's family and ever since then they've paid less and less attention to Duo. After they found out he was gay, they wanted to send him away too but he had nowhere to go."

They entered a room with a large library and a fireplace. Trowa walked him over to it, and there were large picture frames resting atop it. He reached through them, digging around the back, until he pulled out a very small dusty picture that wasn't in a frame. It was just a regular Polaroid and he handed it to Heero.

"That's Kenji three years ago. I think that's the last picture that he sent. You look like him, except of course your eyes."

Heero took the picture that Trowa offered him and looked at it. It was like looking at himself when he was twelve. Trowa was right, though. Kenji's eyes were dark, and he had a wide smile on his face. That was something Heero rarely did, but found it a little more comfortable to do around Trowa and Quatre.

"Duo hates Kenji because he's always been there, right from the beginning. They're four months apart so Duo feels like he was robbed of a father, and in a sense he was. Kenji was his favourite, right from birth. We think that's because Shizuka's his favourite. Duo smokes pot and drinks to forget things. I know it's not an excuse, and we don't like it any more than you do, but Duo needs the attention and he needs us to be there after to pick him up. Do you get it now?"

Heero nodded, but he still didn't like it.

"You mentioned Kenji so we're all in for a rough night." Trowa took the picture from Heero and put it back where it belonged, out of sight.

"Heero, thank you!"

Trowa and Heero returned to the study where everyone was partying, and Heero was once again greeted by Meilan.

"I opened the present, and I love it." She held up the unfinished jewelry box and the set of art supplies that Heero bought. Heero thought that, with Meilan liking art, she might want to decorate it herself. And the box played an old Chinese lullaby when the bottom drawer was pulled out.

"I love Clear Moon, Quite Winds. Thanks so much."

"Hell yeah!" Someone called from the other side of the room.

Trowa and Heero looked over to see a crowd and Heero had noticed that the type of music had changed.

_(Gotta be compatible,  
Takes me to my limits  
Girl when I break you off,  
I promise that you won't wanna get off)_

"C'mon," Trowa lead Heero to the crowd and pushed his way through. Relena was standing on the coffee table while Hilde danced suggestively on and around her, grabbing her and showing the crowd her own various body parts.

_(If you're horny, let's do it  
Ride it, my pony  
My saddle's waitin'  
Come and jump on it)_

Hilde placed a shot of Tequila in the cleavage of Relena's low cut shirt and after dancing around for a bit, took it out with only her mouth, swallowing all of the alcohol.

"But…I thought that Hilde was…straight." Heero had to turn away. Something about the two girls was making him nauseous.

"She is," Trowa said, "and she's into fan service. This means nothing. She just does it for attention."

"Does everyone in this circle of friends demand attention?"

"Mostly." Trowa folded his arms over his chest. "We do and we don't. We all like a certain type of attention, Heero. We're human. You crave attention, even if you haven't realized it yet."

Relena had gotten off the table, and Hilde had pulled Quatre up. Heero turned to see this. What on earth would a straight girl and a gay guy do on a table together? But it was Quatre's turn to dance suggestively around Hilde, who bumped and grinded along with him.

Heero couldn't help but notice the small smile and blush on Trowa's face as he watched Quatre's swinging hips rotate, and his hand run down his abs as he spread his legs and dipped down to Hilde's feet. Quatre rolled his hips in slow circles as he slowly made his way back up Hilde's body. He punctuated his last hip roll with a sharp thrust and turned on his heels, bending a bit with his butt sticking out.

Heero didn't miss a beat. He could tell by the way Trowa's eyes followed Quatre's every movement, and by the way that he clenched his fists and licked his lips, that he was enjoying watching Quatre very, very much.

"Need a cold shower, Trowa?" Heero whispered in his ear as he leaned toward him.

"What?" Trowa's blush deepened. "No, I don't. I'm fine, thanks."

"Right. And you'll wake up tomorrow tangled in his limbs once again and it'll be 'nothing', right?"

"Fuck you, Yuy." But Trowa had a grin on his face as he turned from Quatre and shook his head, blushing. He walked away. "Look, Quatre's my best friend, alright? I'm not an idiot. I'd never trade our friendship for anything, and that includes a romantic relationship. Things are perfect the way they are."

Suddenly there was a crash in the hallway and someone scremed. Knowing that Heero and himself (and Wufei, who had managed to disappear) were probably the most sober and therefore the most responsible in emergency situations, Trowa grabbed Heero by the writs and hauled him into the hallway. The screaming seemed to be coming from the foyer, where the large marbled staircases leading to the second and third level of the house were. Trowa and Heero ran down the hallway to the foyer to see the front door shut and a dark figure run away from the house. Shizuka was screaming at the landing of the stairs, pointing to a limp body near her feet.

Heero recognized that braid just as Trowa did.

"DUO!" Trowa ran up the stairs and stooped by Duo who lay on his stomach. It was his back; his white shirt, was stained with blood in what looked to be whip marks.

With Duo splayed out on the floor, and Trent nowhere to be found, it didn't take Heero long to figure out who had run out the door. But Trent had no ride home and, unless he lived close by, he was in for a long walk back to the city. Leaving Duo in Trowa's capable hands, he follwed his gut and took off after that bastard Trent.

He saw Trent running at the end of the only street that led into the subdivision. Taking off at a dead run, it wasn't long before Heero realized that he couldn't catch up— not with his leg still injured. He had to stop running because the pain was starting to get to him, at that said something because Heero Yuy rarely ever let pain stop him.

But fate must have been on Heero's side because Trent stopped running once he reached the entrance of the subdivision. Heero could see the dark figure leaning on the welcome sign, and then drop to a sitting position, obviously exhausted.

Heero continued to run, but not at the speed he started with. His leg was in too much pain for that. It wasn't too long before he caught up to the panting boy splayed out on the grass by the road that lead back into town. Heero came down on Trent before the boy had time to get away, and he only managed to shuffle over a few inches before Heero pulled him to his feet.

"Wait, _you_ again!" Trent asked incredulously. "When are you going to learn to stay the fuck outta my business, huh?"

"When are you going to learn," Heero started, pushing the boy into the brick wall that served as a fence to block the subdivision from the traffic on the road, "that Duo Maxwell is a human being and not your fuck toy?"

"Oh," Trent started laughing, "I get it. What, he blow you off or something, turned you down, right? Jealous because he doesn't want you, right?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Heero pinned him tight, getting in his face. "You're delusional."

"Am I?" Trent laughed. "Am I really?"

"Yes!" Heero really wanted to punch this guy, to wipe that smirk right off his ugly face.

"You're a pathetic little fuck, you know? Duo's one of the best pieces of ass around and if I wanna fuck him bloody, I'll fuck him bloody. I don't give two shits who you are so you can take your self-righteous attitude and shove it up your ass because Duo _is_ my fuck toy. And he loves every minute, got it?"

"Let him go, Heero." Wufei stood next to the welcome sign, his shadow cast on the pavement from the harsh street lamp light behind him. Heero hadn't even heard him sneak up on the two of them but there he was, his imposing figure daunting in the night light. "Let him go."

Heero realized that this wasn't his fight, and that Wufei was probably taking the noble road. Beating Trent to a pulp probably wasn't honourable, though there was no doubt in Heero's mind that Trent deserved a beating. Instead Heero did as he was told, and slowly and reluctantly released his vice grip on the boy.

Wufei moved, slamming his fist into Trent's jaw with shattering intensity.

"Don't ever go near Duo again." Wufei's growing voice was low and dangerous. "Don't speak to him; don't look at him; don't even think about him. As far as you're concerned, Duo Maxwell is dead so put him out of your thoughts. If I ever see you again, you'll regret it." Wufei backed off and, just as it looked like he was going to walk away, he turned on his heel and sent a sharp kick to Trent's chest.

Trent coughed and grabbed at his chest as he landed on his ass on the cool grass. He gasped for air, but Wufei just walked away, turning over his shoulder to look at Heero. "Are you coming?"

Heero nodded, "In a minute." Heero took his time walking back up to Duo's house. The pain in his leg had reduced to a dull throb and he was slowly able to ignore it completely.

It was twenty after one in the morning when Heero reentered Duo's house, and after the major interruption in the festivities most of Meilan's acquaintances had either gone home or had found a suitable place to crash for the night. Only Duo's close friends were by his side when Heero found them all in the large master bathroom, and even then Meilan had thought it best to give Duo even more room and had ushered Hilde, Relena, Catherine, and Dorothy into the hallway. Quatre was off looking for bandages, Wufei was adjusting the shower water, and Trowa was holding a kneeling drunk and groggy Duo. Heero felt out of place and unneeded and began to recede from the room.

"Heero, thank god, come here." Trowa motioned for Heero to enter the bathroom and he did so, slowly and slightly confused. "Help me get his shirt off."

"Um…okay." Heero thought that one of Duo's other friends would best be suited to help the semi-conscious boy, but he figured Trowa trusted him and in a time like this (this being, Heero figured, one of those times when they were all there to pick Duo back up) Heero wasn't about to protest. Heero knelt on Duo's opposite side.

"I'll hold him while you get his shirt off. Just be careful with his back." Trowa braced Duo.

"Uh…okay." Heero wasn't sure where to start, but logic set in and he reached for the bottom seam of Duo's shirt. He tenderly began to lift the shirt over Duo's clammy skin, and he tried to steady his shaking hands. He wasn't sure why he was shaking, but he couldn't stop thinking about his godforsaken email!

Was Duo beautiful? Was he, sitting there pale and drunk, semi-conscious and shaking, with his back covered in blood, beautiful?

"Oooh!" Duo cried out as he lurched forward, slamming his body into the edge of the bathtub. Heero hadn't been paying full attention to what he was doing, and caught one of Duo's open wounds on the seam of the shirt as he lifted it over his head. Duo's arms came out easily and he wrapped them around the cool surface of the bathtub's edge, crying. "It hurts, Tro. It hurts."

Heero felt a sickening movement in his stomach and he had to lean back, away from the sobbing boy, to regain control of himself. Seeing Duo like this was literally making him sick. The gashes on Duo's back still bled, and some were deep enough that they could have used some stitches. Others weren't deep, but very wide and long.

"God," Heero whispered. "What happened?"

"Trent tied him up, and it was all fun and games until he actually started whipping Duo," Trowa started. "Usually, Duo just likes soft-core bondage and stuff like that, nothing too harsh. He likes being whipped, but lightly, a little sting. Trent…well, you have eyes."

Heero felt so angry with himself for just letting Trent go. He wanted to stand up, find that bastard Trent, and finish what he started. But one look at Duo told Heero that he _was_ needed right where he was. All grudges aside, Duo needed support.

"Heero, let's get him to his feet." Trowa wrapped one of Duo's arms around his shoulders and snaked his snaked his other arm through Duo's legs. He had to avoid touching Duo's back. Heero copied Trowa. "On three, okay? One, two, three!"

The two boys pulled Duo to his feet as Wufei found the perfect temperature. He stepped away from the tub and bowed before he left the washroom.

"Undo his pants—"

"What?" Heero cocked his brow. He wasn't that comfortable being around Duo's yet.

"Heero, c'mon. I'll keep him standing, you get his pants off."

"Tro-wa," Duo sobbed, putting his head on Trowa's shoulder. "It really hurts."

Heero took in a deep breath and reached for Duo's pants. His hands shaking and fumbling, he undid the button and the zipper. Duo's pants, being heavy jeans, almost fell right off Duo's thin hips and he was left standing in his light blue and white plaid boxers with his pants at his ankles. Heero backed away, but Trowa gave him a sharp look.

"The boxers, Heero."

"Hn…"

"Fine, you hold him."

Heero nodded. Even though he'd be holding up a naked Duo, he wouldn't be staring at one. He switched places with Trowa, Trowa gently leaning Duo in Heero's direction as Heero wrapped Duo's arm around his shoulder.

"Oh, god! My hair, my hair." Duo's cries surprised Heero, but Heero knew what he meant. Duo's thick braid slapped against the open skin on Duo's bleeding back.

Heero shuffled to face Duo and used his other hand to gently bring Duo's braid across his shoulder. It draped down Duo's chest, its tail end dangling right below his belly button. Heero swallowed, and turned away just as he realized Trowa had pulled Duo's boxers off. Heero faced Duo, his dull purple eyes red and puffy from crying.

"Heero." Duo's voice was soft and meek, and there was a hint of regret. Was Duo beautiful?

"In the shower, Duo." Trowa stood up and he and Heero helped Duo lift his legs over the tub's edge into the hot water. "Heero, Quatre should have been back with the bandages by now. You wash him while I go find something to dress his wounds in."

"How do I—?"

"Get in the shower with him. There's blood in his hair, so wash that too." Trowa almost ran out of the washroom, leaving Heero with Duo.

Duo stood in the shower, arms at his side, crying. "I can't lean forward cuz my back hurts, and I can't lean back…and I can't sit down…and I just don't know what to do."

"Let's get your back cleaned up, okay?" Heero reached for a bottle of non-scented soap, trying not to get wet. but soon realized that the stream of water was splashing off Duo. Heero was getting wet whether he liked it or not. Sighing, he squeezed a small amount of soap onto his hands and used the water to lather it. He tried his best to position himself so that he was in the shower with Duo while his cast covered leg was kept dry.

"This is really going to hurt," Heero warned as he lightly massaged the soap onto Duo's back who hissed in pain, and his sobbing increased in volume.

Heero washed Duo's back, the water mixing with blood and running down the back of his legs. Heero reached for Duo's braid, took the soaking elastic band off and set the band to the side. He slowly helped Duo turn around so that the water could work its way through Duo's hair before Heero lathered up the shampoo. There Duo stood, wet and trembling, with his tears melting into the water that dripped down his face and Heero couldn't help but asked himself yet again: was Duo beautiful?

Heero froze, forgetting all his thoughts, as a wet hand was placed gently on his left cheek. He looked into Duo's eyes.

"Heero." It was soft, and almost apologetic. Duo's eyes fluttered shut and he almost smiled, then passed out. Heero had to use all of his strength to hold him up, unable to even move or call for help without Duo smashing his head against the wall.

Trowa returned just in time to help Heero so that they could pull Duo out of the tub. Heero reached for a stack of towels and began to wrap Duo's hair while Trowa held the wet boy. Quatre burst through the bathroom door with a tall Arabic man behind him.

"What took you so long?" Heero questioned, wrapping Duo's torso in a towel.

"I couldn't find the bandages." Quatre's pale face was flushed and sweaty. He had obviously been running, or in a hurry. Some of his hair was matted to his forehead. "I ran to get Rashid."

The tall man with a deep voice spoke as two more Arabic men followed him into a bathroom, "Grab the young master and let's get him upstairs."

Heero stepped back as the three grown men, Trowa, and Quatre carried Duo out of the bathroom. Heero leaned himself against the back wall and looked down at himself. He was wet, a little soapy, but mostly confused…and more than anything he was feeling once again like he didn't belong.

**A/N:** Insert songs _Home_ by Three Days Grace and _Pony_ by Genuine. Japanese conversation roughly goes like this: "It is alright." "You speak Japanese." "Yes." I only have one of those pocket dictionaries so I really hope I got the grammar right. I don't really know Japanese grammar. Anyway, once again edited by Dentelle Noir and Katie. And I just want to say thank you to everyone who's taken the time to review my story so far. All the support means a lot to me.


	7. Chapter VI

Yin and Yang  
_By Cobalt 27_

**Summary:** AU. 1 equals 2; 3 equals 4; 5 equals M. Heero has no choice but to move to a new school in the middle of his sophomore year and is in for a few surprises. Between going from being a loner to one of the most popular guys, finding that he's more comfortable with homosexuality than he thought, and meeting a nymphomaniac who has a deeper side to him Heero realizes he's in for one hell of a semester.  
**Warning:** Drinking, drugs, smoking, sex, swearing, angst and mature adult themes. Hilde and Catherine are 100 percent OOC but I hope you all like my version of their high school girly-ness.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own or have any claim to Gundam Wing, its characters, logos or its affiliations; they belong to Sunrise, Bandai and their affiliated companies. I do not own or have claim to bus names, street names, school names, mascots or logos. I do not own or have claim to the high school that appears in this story. I do not own or have claim to the malls, store names or their logos that appear in this story. I do not own or have claim to songs, lyrics, movies and movie characters, actors, singers or bands that appear in this story. I own all original characters that do not appear in any anime/manga owned by Sunrise, Bandai or their affiliated companies.

* * *

HUGE thanks goes out to **Link Worshiper** for helping me a bit with this chapter...and of course, my betas! 

**Chapter VI**

Heero stretched his hands out before him, looking at the moisture that sat there. What had just happened? Before Duo passed out in his arms, what was he thinking touching his face gently like that? Shaking his head to rid himself of the image of Duo standing naked, looking tenderly at him, Heero pushed off the wall he was leaning on and walked into the hallway.

"Heero, c'mon." Quatre fell back and looped his arm into Heero's. He guided him through Duo's house, up the stairs and into Duo's room with the others. (Wufei had stayed behind with the girls, settling them down and staying with his fiancé).

They entered Duo's room right after Rashid and Trowa who, with the help of the other two men, set Duo stomach-down on his bed. Rashid had a duffle bag on his shoulder, and he set it on the bed next to Duo. He went to work dressing Duo's still bleeding wounds.

"Why is he still bleeding?" Heero asked, but as soon as he did he realized he already knew the answer.

"He's drunk." Quatre replied.

Duo had consumed so much alcohol that he had thinned out his blood, which was why it wasn't coagulating and why his back continued to bleed.

Heero once again stepped back into the shadows feeling like there were others better suited to help Duo than himself, who seemed to have a hate-hate relationship with the braided brat. Heero took a few steps away from the bed, surveying the room.

On the floor next to Duo's bed was a bloody ten inch black leather whip. Splayed next to the leather whip, as if they had been tossed aside carelessly, were two matching black wrist cuffs. On top of the night table next to Duo's bed was an open box of condoms. Heero slowly did a three-sixty of the room. Along the wall next to the night table was a large bow-front chest of drawers with an attached vanity mirror. On the wall kitty-corner to the drawers was an open door. Through it Heero could see an entertainment room full of sofas and pillows, a large plasma screen television which read 'Video 2', and a walk-in closet on the same wall. Against the wall, next to the door Heero had entered, was a bookshelf. Heero wandered over to it and examined the books.

"Wow," he quietly mumbled to himself. "Never pegged Duo as the type to enjoy Milton and Yeats."

Heero ran his fingers over the bindings of the books and was surprised to see the names of some of his favourite authors: Orwell, Shelley, Homer, Shakespeare, Pope, Eliot, AudenMaybe, just maybe, Duo wasn't as immature as he thought.

"Heero?" Trowa came over to where he stood and put his arms on Heero's shoulder. He sighed and rested his forehead on his arm. "Quatre's going to watch him, and then when he needs some sleep he'll come get one of us."

"Us?" Heero shifted his eyes to try and see Trowa as best as he could. He obviously needed a little support so Heero didn't move his body; he let himself be a leaning post.

"Yeah," Trowa nodded into his arm. "We need you, Heero. He needs you, and we need him so you see we'd really appreciate your—"

"Don't worry. I'll do it." And Heero felt that in that instant he had just grown up a little.

"Come on," Trowa pushed himself off Heero. "We'll go get some rest for now."

"Where are we going to sleep?" Heero asked, following Trowa out of Duo's now dark room (Quatre had just turned the lights off).

"In one of the guestrooms, the one Quatre and I normally share." Normally Trowa would have blushed reminiscing about the nights he spent close to the blond god, but tonight he was too exhausted to bother.

"You and Quatre," Heero started once they were a fair way down the hallway and climbing the stairs, "you both—"

"Don't even say it, Heero. Quatre isspecial. I wouldn't trade out friendship for anything—anything." Trowa shook his head to punctuate.

"Butyou like him, right?"

They reached the top of the stairs and entered one of the guestrooms. Thankfully it was vacant. Trowa flicked the light switch and Heero's eyes were immediately assaulted by blue. Everything, from the ceiling to the carpet and from the duvet to the venetian blinds, were shades of blue.

"Quatre is" Trowa started, "like I said, special. He's charming and witty, intelligent and humble. He's out-going and compassionate and talented. He exceeds everyone's expectations. He's just an amazing and inspirational person. He's so much fun to be around and he makes me feel that, if I try hard enough, I can be just as wonderful as him. Do I like him? It depends on what you mean by like."

"Do you love him?" Heero flicked his shoes off as Trowa turned down the covers.

Trowa stood on the other side of the bed, his own shoes abandoned some few feet away, staring at his nails. "He's the most passionate and enchanting person I've ever met. He deserves so much more than—"

"Trowa." Heero just wanted an answer.

Trowa reluctantly brought his gaze to meet Heero's piercing one. His palms were sweaty and he felt like he had just swallowed rocks.

"Do you love him?" Heero repeated, trying to find an answer in his eyes.

Trowa nodded as he swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling very much like he was under federal investigation with the spotlight right on him.

"That's what I thought." Heero gently climbed into bed, maneuvering his plastic boot. Normally he'd take it off for the night, but seeing as he would have to eventually get up to sit with Duo he didn't bother. Trowa turned the light off and crawled into bed next to Heero.

"So, where did you run off to after we found Duo?"

Heero paused for a moment looking through the darkness up at the now black ceiling. "Trent. I went after Trent."

"Really?" Trowa arched his brow. "And what happened?"

"Nothing much. Wufei showed up and took care of it."

There was silence, then

"What would you have done if Wufei hadn't shown up?"

Heero listened to the disembodied voice vibrate next to him in the darkness and thought for a while before answering Trowa.

"I don't know. I wanted to beat the shit out of him, but I don't know if I would have actually done it."

"Do you like Duo?"

"No." It was a quick and firm reply. "I think," Heero started after a string of silence, "I'm starting to see Duo is as complicated as you said. Do I like him? No. Do I still hate him? No—"

"So then you must love him, it's the only option left."

"And I think you're way too tired to be having this conversation, Trowa. Go to sleep."

"Fine."

X-X-X

"Heero?"

Quatre walked into the guestroom that Heero and Trowa were in, and whispered quietly as he approached the queen sized bed that Heero and Trowa were sharing. Heero woke easily and rolled toward the door, having slept lightly or none at all.

"Yeah?" His voice was groggy and hoarse and he tried to clear his throat.

"I'mI'm exhausted."

"What time is it?" Heero asked as he sat up and swung his leg out of the bed. He placed both feet on the floor and slowly stood.

"Hmm, about, uh," Quatre hit the button on his watch so he could read it in the dark. "Four eleven."

"Oh, okay." Heero's foggy mind didn't seem to absorb anything properly. He really didn't know what four eleven meant, but it felt like he should still be sleeping.

"Rashid went home, so if you need anything for Duo you'll have to get Shizuka."

Heero nodded as he sluggishly left the room and trudged downstairs to Duo's room. He vaguely thought that Trowa should have been next to check on Duo, but he assumed Quatre would want to spend some time with Trowa, which made him think. Both Quatre and Trowa liked each other, but weren't doing anything about it.

Heero opened Duo's door and the dim light from the hallway cast his shadow on the floor and Duo's bed, hiding the braided boy in a shroud of darkness. He moved and the light shifted to reveal Duo asleep and lying on his stomach. His silky hair had been returned to a braid, which lay coiled on the pillow next to him. It was late, rather it was either really late or really early (Heero couldn't figure out which), to be wandering around and playing Guard Duo. With a yawn, Heero staggered over to Duo's bed and climbed in next to the youth. The motion caused Duo to stir.

"Nnnnn—Trowa?"

"No."

"Oh...Quatre?"

Heero barely had the energy to reply. After pausing for a long moment he managed to will his lips to move in response.

"No...Heero."

There was a much longer pause in which Heero thought Duo had returned to sleep, and he himself was drifting off.

"Oh...night."

The last thought Heero had was how nice Duo's voice sounded when he was groggy.

X-X-X

Heero woke the next day, or rather the next afternoon, alone in a fluffy and warm bed. He looked around, taking in the sophisticated marble bedroom furniture and textured slate walls, and remembered he had spent the better half of the night in Duo's room. Throwing the covers off, he crawled out of bed and began wandering around the house in search of food or someone with food. Heero reached the stairs and began descending to the main floor.

"Heero!" Quatre called from the flight of stairs above.

Heero stopped, leaning on the banister as his eyes followed the ascending steps. Quatre was leaning over the banister above, waving at him. Trowa appeared at Quatre's side; apparently they just woke up, too. Trowa dangled Heero's shoe over the banister.

"You left this in the room. Are you going to get breakfast?"

Heero nodded. "Yeah. I was going to attempt to, anyway. Thanks for my shoe."

Heero waited for Trowa and Quatre, and took his offered shoe. When they reached the bottom of the stairs on the main level, Heero placed his shoe in the foyer with the pile that had mysteriously grown overnight, and followed Trowa and Quatre to the kitchen.

There was a dining room next to the kitchen with a huge polished cherry wood dining table that probably seated twelve people. Heero wondered why they needed such a big table for a small family.

Wufei, Meilan, Hilde, and Catherine were already at the table with plates full of eggs, bacon, toast, bowls of cereal, glasses of orange juice, and milk. Trowa, Quatre and Heero entered the kitchen to find Duo filling his plate with some of the remains of the cooked food.

"Who made all this?" Heero asked noticing that, though Duo's house was just as well equipped as Treize's, it wasn't as staffed.

"Dunno," Duo shrugged. "It's usually Yori, our cook, or the first ones up."

Quatre turned to Trowa, giving him a meaningful look. Just a few days ago Duo and Heero were at each other's throats, Duo was even causing problems at Heero's work...but now they were talking to each other with no apparent animosity. What exactly happened last night?

"So," Heero began over a bowl of cereal at the dining table, sitting between Catherine and Trowa, "is there a phone I can use—?"

Just as Duo silently reached for the portable phone behind him sitting in the cradle, there was a soft noise that came from the dining room entrance.

"Duo, someone is here to see you, and they request that you come alone."

"Who are you calling?" Quatre asked Heero as he put a piece of bacon in his mouth.

"Well," Heero started as he watched Duo get up from his seat and leave the dining room, "I need to get home soon seeing as it's..." Heero grabbed the phone Duo left on the table and looked at the time, "two thirty. I was going to call a cab."

"Why? If you need a ride home we can get one for you. Most of us have to go to the city," Trowa said around a mouthful of scrambled eggs.

"Oh, I can't, really. You already provided me with a ride here so—"

"Heero, it's no big deal. We'll get you a ride home."

"Honestly—"

"Nope!" Quatre cut in with a rather large grin on his face, "there'll be no turning down our offer, Mr. Yuy. I'll inform one of our drivers to kidnap you if necessary."

Heero had a horrible mental image of Rashid throwing him into the trunk of a car to the amusement of Quatre and Trowa, who were standing behind Rashid in top hats smoking cigars. Shaking his head of this ridiculous image, Heero sighed.

"Well...fine." Heero put the phone down in defeat as Relena walked briskly into the dining room and stood at the head of the table.

She looked slightly winded, and though she looked composed she had a sever urgency about her.

"Trent's here. He's at the front door with Duo."

Heero turned to look at her, disbelieving what she said. The anger he felt last night had subsided, but he was still appalled that Trent would have the audacity to show up after Wufei's threats. There was no way Trent was that stupid.

"He wants Duo to go somewhere with him. I don't know where; I didn't listen that long."

Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei stood in unison, chairs scraping on the floor with their urgency. Trowa looked to Heero, and motioned to the doorway with his head. Heero stood, his own chair scraping on the floor. He followed the three boys out of the dining room, down the hall, into another hall and toward the foyer.

Trent was leaning on the doorframe talking to Duo who stood with shoulders hunched, feet together and his hands clasped in front of him. He looked very small.

"Duo!" Heero couldn't help himself and the name blurted out before he realized he called it.

Trent looked up with wide eyes (fear maybe?) when he saw Wufei standing with his hands behind his back looking very menacing next to Heero, who looked quite pissed himself. Heero advanced and stood between Trent and Duo. Quatre made to follow, but Trowa stuck his arm out and blocked him, shaking his head.

"But—"Quatre began quietly, only to receive another shake from Trowa.

"We warned you, Trent. Why would you come back?" Heero's voice was low and deadly, suggesting Trent should pick his words wisely.

"I...um...I came to..." Trent looked from Heero to Wufei to Trowa to Quatre and realized he was certainly outnumbered. There was only one thing he could do right now, and he knew he'd regret it when he was alone at night with no one to take care of his needs. "I came to say goodbye to Duo...you know, in case he started to wonder where I went and why I never said goodbye."

"You lying bastard!" Relena came running up to the group, Hilde, Meilan, and Catherine following behind her. "Duo is our friend, and we're not going to let you hurt him anymore."

"Yeah? Well..."

"You guys," Duo began as Trent trailed off, his voice quiet as he turned to face his friends. "It's okay, really. We were just talking and—"

"No," Heero grabbed Duo by the arms and made Duo face him. "It's not okay. None of this is okay."

"Heero, you don't understand," Duo almost smirked as he said this, as if Heero were a child and couldn't comprehend "grown-up" concepts.

"No, _you_ don't understand, Duo! You don't get it, at all. NONE OF THIS IS ALRIGHT!" Heero didn't mean to lose his cool; he didn't want to snap, but there was no way he was going to stand there and let Duo think that anything that had happened up until this point was okay. If Trowa and Quatre and all the others were just going to wait around for Duo to fix himself, Heero wasn't going to let them. He refused to stand back with the others and just let the world fall down around Duo. He was going to fix it, and he'd do it even if the others wouldn't help him. "Goddamn it, Duo, don't you see anything? Are you _that fucking blind_?"

"Heero?" The colour had drained from Duo's face, his eyes dull and scared as he felt Heero's hand grip him firmly and start to pull him away from everyone. He was being dragged across the foyer, up the stairs to the left, down the hall and into the bathroom.

The door slammed behind him. And was locked.

"Heero?" Duo was scared.

Heero was huffing and shaking, his face pink with rage and his blue eyes almost black with fury.

"DO YOU NOT SEE THAT?" Heero grabbed Duo by the arm and pulled him in front of the large bathroom mirror. He roughly stripped Duo's shirt off so that all you could see of his back were bandages with pink lines. "DO YOU! You're fucking insane!" Heero pushed Duo away, who stood near the door, trying to wrap his arms around himself and become small as he stared at his reflection. "THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR HEAD IF YOU THINK THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH WHAT PEOPLE DO TO YOU! What you _LET_ them do to you!" Heero's tone was full of disgust.

Trowa, Quatre, Wufei, Meilan, Relena, Catherine, and Hilde stood outside the bathroom door, listening with horror to what was going on inside. Quatre shook his head, tears starting to form in his eyes. He had enough and wasn't going to let Heero talk to Duo like that any longer. He moved to the door, and Trowa reached out, wrapping his arms around the blond and brought him back toward his chest.

"No, Quatre. We can't help him now."

"That's not right!" Heero shouted from inside the bathroom. "Do you see that! DO YOU FUCKING SEE THAT!" Heero pointed to Duo's bandages, and in a fit he grabbed an edge of tape and ripped some of the bandage away.

"Heero, stop it, please!" Duo backed away. He didn't want to see himself, and he didn't want to be touched.

"NO! Look at yourself..." Heero ripped all of the bandages away and pulled Duo toward the mirror. He turned him around so that his back was facing the mirror, and tried to force his head to the side so that he was forced to look at himself in the mirror "...Fucking LOOK-AT-YOURSELF! That's sick!""Heero," Duo tried to pull away, "you just don't understand."

"Damned right I don't understand!" Heero held Duo firmly by the shoulders, standing right in front of him so that they were forced to make eye contact. "I don't understand how you can talk to him after he did that to you. You're fucked in the head. That's what it is. You are severely fucked in the head."

"No, he didn't mean it. We just got carried away—"

"You have no respect for yourself. You have no love for yourself and you have no self-esteem. You're playing the fucking victim and it makes me want to puke. Grow some goddamned balls and tell Trent to fuck off."

"Why! So some prince fucking charming can whisk me away? My life is not a fairy tale, Heero."

"It's close enough. Open your fucking eyes." Heero turned to leave when Duo grabbed him by the arm. Turning to face him, Heero was surprised to see Duo's face full of indignant rage.

"You don't know anything about me!" Duo shouted as he leaned in toward Heero.

"I know," Heero began, "that you're unhappy."

"You don't know the first thing about being unhappy! You don't know what it feels like to wake up in the morning and wish you hadn't. You have no idea what it's like to die in front of your parents every day and for them to not even care. And you know what? I know how pathetic I sound, and that makes it worse, because I can't stand being such a pussy and bitching over things like this but goddamned it, Heero! At least you're loved!"

"If you'd stop feeling so goddamned sorry for yourself and look around, you'd realize you _are_ loved. You have the most amazing friends who never turn their backs on you. So your family life is shitty, it's really shitty. But no family is perfect. No family is—"

"What the hell—you have a perfect family. So you don't have a mom, but you have a dad who cares about you. My parents forget my name sometimes, okay? I'm their only child and they can't even remember my fucking name."

"At least you _know_ your name!" Heero turned away from Duo, not wanting to see him any longer.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

But Heero could see Duo's reflection in the mirror, his frail looking physique hunched over slightly, a few stray bandages still stuck to his back hung loosely behind him. Sighing, Heero turned to face Duo, crossing his arms over his chest.

"My father found me when I was four walking in an alley. He asked me what my name was, but I had no idea. The only name, _the only thing_, I could remember was Heero Yuy. I don't even know if that's my name. At least you're sure of yours."

"I _wish_ I had been found by someone who loves me—"

"Goddamned it!" Heero turned on Duo, slamming both of his fists into the door on either side of Duo's head. Deep trembling violet eyes matched burning blue ones. "You _are_ loved. Everyone loves you, all of your friends. They care so much, so deeply, about you. They're all so worried and so protective and..." Heero was losing energy. Arguing was taking so much out of him, he leaned forward, almost pressing himself against Duo as he rested his forehead on the door behind the braided boy. They were almost cheek to cheek and Duo couldn't help but tremble.

"Well...are you—is that what this is about, I mean...are you my friend?"

Heero could feel Duo's voice rumble as he leaned against the boy. Nodding his head into the door he whispered into Duo's ear, "Yes...yes."

X-X-X

Heero looked down at the white piece of paper with the school's name that had been left on his desk: Monthly Newsletter. The first article red, in big bold letters: **This Thursday, Parent Teacher Interviews! All are encouraged to come!** Heero rolled his eyes. Odin, though he cared about Heero's academics, didn't really care about the teachers. Heero got straight A's, so why would Odin need to go to see his teachers? So they could tell Odin what was written on Heero's term report card? Odin could read; he didn't need it spelled out for him.

Odin sighed as he shifted from his right leg to his left. He had been waiting in line for ten minutes and Heero's religion teacher had been talking to the same parents.

"How long does it take to explain 'I gave your child an F because he doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground'?"

"Odin," Heero scolded as the parents in front of them turned around to see who made the comment.

Heero wasn't sure exactly why there were there. Odin never insisted on seeing Heero's teachers before, but Heero had a sneaky suspicion it had to do with his new friends. Odin was curious about Heero's new life, and wanted to meet the people Heero was hanging around with.

"Heero!"

Heero turned around as Quatre entered the gym in front of a smiling man and a beautiful woman. Heero could tell where Quatre got his looks from. Turning around to talk to them, Quatre nodded quickly and then ran toward Heero with Quatre's parents following at a normal pace.

"Hey, Quatre."

"I thought you said you weren't coming."

Heero motioned to Odin with his head, "he suddenly thought it was a good idea."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Quatre blushed. "Forgive my rudeness; I didn't introduce myself. My name is Quatre Raberba Winner of the Winner family." Quatre bowed his head slightly then straightened and stuck out his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you, sir."

Odin smiled as he shook Quatre's hand. "Heero, you didn't tell me all your friends were this polite."

"They're not," Heero mumbled thinking of the loud and boisterous Hilde and Catherine...and Duo.

"Wait," Odin stumbled, "Winner? Heero, why didn't you tell me you were friends with the Winner boy?" Odin turned back to Quatre. "Your father owns 95 percent of the shares in the company I work for. It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Quatre."

"I'm sure I mentioned it," Heero mumbled to himself, for he wasn't positive and honestly couldn't remember if he had told Odin or not.

By this time Mr. and Mrs. Winner had caught up with Quatre and began to introduce themselves to Odin, who introduced himself and Heero in return.

"Quatre!—HEERO!"

"Great," Heero mumbled under his breath. It wasn't that he didn't like Hilde and Catherine. Actually, he enjoyed their company and their humour and wit, but he also found them to be slightly annoying in the fact that he always got the feeling they liked him.

"Friends of yours?" Odin asked with a smile on his face.

Heero was about to speak when he noticed Trowa was right behind them, and behind him were Trowa's parents and (he was guessing) Hilde's mother because they looked identical.

"Are you all here?" Heero asked Quatre.

Quatre nodded. "Parent teacher interviews are kinda political for our families. Because then everyone sees us together and they look and say 'that's a solid family; I'll buy from their company'...or so our parents think. It gives them a chance to mingle away from cameras and formalities."

"I see." Heero looked around the large gym.

"I don't see Duo."

"I'll be surprised if they're here," Quatre sighed. "His parents don't care much. They'll only be here if they're in town, and if they remembered to come."

Trowa, Catherine, Hilde and all of their parents walked over, parents talking amongst themselves while Odin was somewhat left out because, after introducing himself, he really didn't have much to say to them.

"Okay, we're really glad the both of you are here. Quatre, Heero, as you both know prom is coming soon so we want you to come shopping with us for dresses." Hilde smiled as she grabbed Heero's arm and tugged on it lightly. "And before you say a word, we need you because we need guys to tell us how we look."

"And since you're the least gay one," Catherine smiled sweetly, "we thought we'd have you tag along. And since Quatre's the gayest one, we need his fashion advice."

"Way to stereotype, Catherine!" Quatre folded his arms over his chest as he tapped one foot on the tiled gym floor. He wasn't the only one who had heard the comment, though.

"Wait, prom? Isn't that until—"

"Grade twelve?" Catherine asked as Heero nodded. "Well, I am in grade twelve and Hilde's my date. That's the only way someone who's not in grade twelve can go, if they're someone's date."

"C'mon, Heero, pleeeease?" Hilde begged as she tugged on Heero's arm. "We really need you to come with us!"

"Well..."

Quatre sighed as he shifted his weight to his other foot. "I'll go with you girls, cuz I've been meaning to go shopping lately. Heero'll go, too. Honestly," Quatre turned to Heero whose eyes darkened when Quatre volunteered him to go, "you'll have fun."

"Whatever." Heero threw his arms in the air in defeat.

"Look." Heero and Odin sat in the large square near the front of the school in front of the library doors. The staff had taken it and turned it into a coffee station for the parents. There were lots of chairs in rows and circles where parents talked freely amongst themselves.

"What?" Odin sat down next to Heero and handed him a coffee.

"It's him...Duo." Heero discreetly pointed to Duo who sat isolated from his parents who were talking with Quatre's parents (Quatre nowhere in sight).

"The guy who broke your leg? Where?"

"Right there. The guy with the braid." As Heero said this, Duo (who was looking around the room) noticed Heero and Odin sipping on the coffees.

"Dad?" Duo tugged on his father's sleeve, who ignored him. Duo tugged a little harder but to no avail. He still didn't get the attention of his rambling father. "Dad? I'm going to go find my friends."

Duo's father continued to ignore him. "Dad? Dad? Hey dad? Mom? Mom? Mom? Hey, dad? Hello? Dad? Wow, look at this. I've learned how to tie a noose. Yep, I have. I've become a real pro at it. Yeah, that's me, the one with a long rope and a noose."

Heero watched in mild horrification as Duo gestured wildly and spoke with exaggerated movements to no one. Duo had officially lost it.

"And look over there, a giant fan big enough to support my weight." Duo waited for a moment. (In reality, no fan was anywhere near them as the school had central air and felt that fans weren't necessary.) When Duo still didn't get a response from his father or his mother at that point, he spoke a little louder. "And there's chairs all around so all you have to do is kick it out from under me and how can you sit there and ignore _everything_ I say, goddamn it!"

"What!" Duo's father turned around angrily, which surprised Duo and made him jump.

"I...uh," he almost forgot what he was trying to say. "I'm going to take off for a bit. I just wanted to let you know, in case you were wondering where I went—"

"You bothered me for that?" Duo's father snapped and turned back to the conversation he was having with his wife and Mr. and Mrs. Winner.

Duo sighed, "I dunno Dad. I thought you would've cared just a little. Well fuck this, I'm going to go find my friends." Duo knew his father could no longer hear him, so it didn't matter what he said. There were many times his parents had completely tuned him out, as if he didn't exist anymore.

Just as Duo was standing from his chair, Trowa and Quatre came up behind Heero and sat next to him. He found it hard to turn away from Duo, who looked so timid when his father turned on him. That was the first time he had ever seen Duo interact with his parents, and he was sure he didn't want to see it again.

"Hey," Trowa smiled, then bowed his head at Odin, "nice to see you again Mr. Lowe."

"God, please, call me Odin. Mr. Lowe makes me sound so old."

"You are old," Heero mumbled into his coffee, only to receive a playful smack in the back of his head.

Duo dejectedly trudged toward the group, his head hanging low as his feet dragged. Things had certainly felt different between the two of them lately, and even though Heero and Duo had decided they were friends, it really didn't feel like it. Ever since Meilan's birthday party a month ago things were just _different_. Heero wasn't sure what exactly was going on, but at least there wasn't constant animosity flowing between them.

"Quat," Duo mumbled softly as he sat on the floor in front of Quatre. He placed his chin on Quatre's knee, and lazily brought his hand up to poke at Heero's cup of coffee. "Quat, I need a walk."

Quatre turned to Trowa and Heero, "You don't mind?"

"No," Trowa and Heero replied in unison.

"That's stuff's not good for you, caffeine and all that junk," Duo's dark violet eyes started into Heero's and Heero smirked, leaning toward Duo.

"You shouldn't give advice on how to take care of yourself."

Duo shrugged, "whatever."

He stood, and soon Quatre and Duo set off just as Heero recognized Trowa's father (and he assumed his mother) sit next to Duo's parents. The three sets of parents talked wildly and eventually Heero got bored of watching them.

"So," Heero started a string of conversation which was prompted by reminiscing about Trowa's father's sexy Aston Martin, "what exactly do all your parents do? You're all so...wealthy."

"Well, Treize's dad owns some investor's groups and his mother inherited a lot of money from her father. Their house in the county is the only one they own, so it's kinda extravagant, isn't it?"

Heero nodded.

"Relena and Zechs, their father is into politics. Dorothy's parents are old money, something to do with old royalty. Quatre's father owns resource companies. My mother's a lawyer and my father owns a lot of huge international software companies. Duo...well, it's obvious, isn't it?"

Heero shook his head. He had no clue what Trowa meant.

"Heero...you didn't notice while you were at his house?" Trowa waited, but only received a blank stare from Heero. "Duo's backpack...Carcus," Trowa rolled the letter "R" and added an almost French accent to the "us" at the end. Heero still didn't know what he was talking about. "His mother is a fashion designer, Heero. You've never heard of Carcus?"

"Wait, what?" Heero shook his head, baffled. That would explain all the trips to Paris. "I've never heard of it, but...wow."

Trowa nodded. "Yep, and Duo hates it all. He likes 'normal' clothes from the mall. You know, generic brands like Levi and in-store brands. His mom gets furious, but he doesn't care."

"Oh." Heero sipped his coffee. "And what about the others?"

Trowa sipped on his coffee and thought about how he would word his next sentence. "Well, they're normal. Wufei's family owns a small Chinese antique shop. Meilan's mom works in an office and her dad in a plant. Noin's dad works at a bank and her mom works in an office. Hilde's mom is a kindergarten teacher."

"Oh," Heero nodded. So at least they weren't all filthy rich like Treize and Duo. It made him feel a little more comfortable with the thought of bringing someone over, though he doubted he ever would. Especially if Odin was home, there just wouldn't be enough room.

"I'm gunna go find Quatre, okay?" Trowa stood. "Are you coming?"

"No." Heero shook his head; he'd never leave Odin by himself. "I'm cool here. I'll catch up with you guys later, or see you tomorrow."

"Alright," Trowa smiled and nodded to Odin. "Nice seeing you again, Odin."

"You too." Odin nodded in return, but his smile was missing.

"So, you've mentioned that Relena is a lesbian," Odin pulled out of the parking lot, turning the left signal light on.

"Yeah," Heero nodded. He wasn't sure where the conversation was going, and that unnerved him.

"And...so, Quatre. He's..."

"Gay."

Odin pulled out onto the street and made a quick right. He waited at the light at the end of the street, and turned left.

"And your other friends?"

Heero looked out the window. "Trowa's gay; Wufei is bisexual but he's engaged to Meilan who's straight; Zechs is bisexual and dating Noin who's bisexual; Catherine and Hilde are straight; Dorothy is straight, we think." Heero mused to himself how much like Quatre he was getting at explaining things rather quickly.

They traveled down the busy street in silence for a while, stopping at red lights when they demanded surrendering. "And what about that Duo boy?"

"Gay. You don't have a problem with that, do you? That my friends are—"

"No." Odin shook his head, cutting Heero off. "No, not at all, no." But by the tone he used, Heero guessed otherwise. "But...you know, Duo, I thought you two hated each other."

"We're friends now—"

"He broke your leg!" Odin flicked the plastic boot with one hand, the other still gripping the steering wheel.

"And it's almost healed. I get this stupid thing off Saturday. That doesn't matter though. We're friends now." Heero stared at the sports bar as they turned right. They were constructing a volleyball court at the back of it.

"But you two hated each other." Odin pulled to the right into the parking lot for their apartment building.

"We don't hate each other anymore. I don't think we really ever did."

Odin pulled into the parking space and turned the car off. Turning to Heero, he made eye contact and sat there in silence for a while before he spoke again. "And you are?"

"What?" Heero's brows furrowed.

"Are you heterosexual, Heero?"

"Odin! I can't believe we're having this conversation." Heero crossed his arms over his chest and refused to look Odin in the eye.

"Are you—"

"I'm nothing, okay?" Heero undid his seatbelt and manually unlocked his door.

"Nothing? Like, nothing because you don't like boys or nothing because you don't like girls?" Odin quickly did the same, following Heero as he got out of the car and walked toward the building.

"Nothing because I've never met anyone who's interested me that way. Quatre calls it asexual. I call it nothing."

X-X-X

"Okay, so I know this is totally last minute, but since tonight is semi-formal and half our school is gunna party—"

"And by half you mean the grade elevens," Quatre spoke up as he placed his tray on the table.

They were once again at the mall after school, occupying far too many food court benches than normal. (They didn't squeeze four people to a table.)

"Well," Hilde paused to take a bite of her sub, "you know what I mean. My point is that we should all chill at my house tonight. I asked my mom already and she said it was cool."

Great, another party. It didn't take long for Heero to realize that was all they did, and drama always ensued when Duo was inebriated. Heero didn't feel like putting himself through another energy-draining experience concerning Duo, but he listened with feigned interest anyway.

"But, cuz my mom'll be there," Hilde started, "no booze or weed. We'll just chill with some movies and food or something—play DDR."

"I can't," Relena spoke up. "Family thing. Someone's birthday, or a retirement...something like that I forget, but I can't go."

"We can go," Catherine leaned toward Trowa who sat at his own table with Quatre and Duo, and she gently slapped his arm. "Right?"

Trowa nodded, a mouth full of chicken pita.

"Not us," Wufei informed the group. "Meilan and I are going out to dinner."

"Aw, how sweet." Heero couldn't tell if Dorothy was sincere or sarcastic, but she turned to Hilde, "I can't go either." Dorothy, Heero noticed, didn't really hang out with them after school, besides going to the mall. She had been to one party so far, and had disappeared while there.

They all talked amongst themselves and soon it was only Trowa, Quatre, Catherine, and Duo that could go. Heero wasn't sure yet. He didn't have to work that Friday, for a change, but he had to go to the hospital the next morning to get his boot and cast removed. He wanted to go now, now that he knew intoxicants were prohibited at this "party".

"Well, just ask your dad, and if you can't go we'll eat brownies in honour of you—"

"Brownies?" Duo's brow cocked and he looked from Quatre to Hilde.

"Quatre's brownies, Duo. Not special brownies."

Duo shrugged. "Either works for me. Ehn, I gotta piss—"

"Thanks for sharing, oh civilized one." Dorothy rolled her eyes and brought her diet Coke to her lips.

Duo stood, leaving his half eaten meal for when he returned. He started off in the direction of the washroom and vanished into the ravenous crowd of hungry mall goers. Heero reached for his drink and, after sucking back a third of the cup's contents, he soon realized he had to go himself.

"Be right back." Heero stood and also disappeared into the massive throng of people as he headed toward the restrooms. He turned into a secluded hallway and stopped dead.

"What are you doing?" Heero called out.

"Heero?" Duo turned with wide eyes and watched Heero approach him. "I was just...I mean...talking...just talking."

Trent leaned against the lockers, a ridiculous smirk on his smug face. It was just Heero. Trent wasn't afraid of just Heero.

"That's right. We were talking, so mind your business." Trent touched Duo's chin and turned his face so he could look at him.

Before Trent could say or do anything else, his face was being pushed against the cool bricks of the wall, his arm painfully twisted around his back. Wide eyed and slightly disorientated from such sudden movement, it took only a moment to realize that maybe he should be afraid of just Heero.

"You were told to never touch Duo again."

Duo stood back and watched Heero's impressive strength emanate off the boy. Duo had never seen anything like it, even when he watched Wufei at his martial arts competitions. Even when they fought at Treize's house Heero wasn't _that_ strong or intimidating. Did that mean that Heero had held back on him? Whatever the case, Heero certainly wasn't holding back now and, realizing that the situation could result in one or both of the fighting boys getting in severe trouble, Duo couldn't stand back and watch.

"Heero!" Duo put a hand on Heero's arm. "Enough, stop!"

"Why are you defending him!" Heero's head snapped to the side as he asked angrily.

"I'm not. You don't need to do something stupid and get into trouble cuz of me, cuz you're pissed at me."

Heero slowly let his grip on Trent loosen as Duo's words hit him. Using this as an oppourtunity, Trent pulled away and backed himself into the corner near the lockers. He looked around, if need be there was a service door he could escape through. But he wasn't ready to give up the fight just yet.

"What, so you are about this chink bastard, Duo? Is he fucking you now?—"

"What, no! And he's Japanese you racist prick!" Duo's face flushed with what he hoped was anger. "Trent, just...just fuck off, okay? I don't have anything else to say to you, so just leave me the fuck alone."

Duo grabbed Heero by the arm and, turning on the spot, dragged the Asian boy away from Trent. Duo dragged Heero all the way back to the table, to where their friends were laughing and joking (and eating) happily. Heero looked down at the slender fingers than were clasped around his arm. Slender and gentle...that was the first thought Heero ever had of Duo. He had forgotten until now. Even in his indignant rage Duo was still gentle with Heero. And Heero couldn't help it, he really hadn't done it in front of anyone, but he smiled. He looked down at Duo's fingers and up at his flushed face and smiled.

"You know," Heero said quietly when they were within a step of the tables, "you're awfully red." Heero brought his other hand up and softly poked Duo's cheeks, which made him stop suddenly right behind Dorothy.

"I am?" Duo turned to Heero, brows furrowed, and then gaped at the boy. "You're smiling!"

"I know."

"What?" Hilde turned to Duo and Heero, the ever nosy one. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Heero sat down, "I took care of it."

Trowa gave him a stern look as Heero took a sip of his drink and realized that he still had to go to the washroom. "Damnit," he muttered.

**TBC.**

**A/N:** School totally owns me, sorry. Full course load again. I think I'm subconsciously trying to kill myself by means of text books. Anyway, from the looks of things this is is going to be a huge project. So, I just want to thank everyone who's been really patient with me: Amy Kirosaki, Beelzenef, CaramelAriana, Foxy-Comic-Death, Hikaru, Hostilecrayon, Inu-Kyuubi, Jess-Eklom, Lady Malynn, Lady11Occult, Laera Draconian, Lalapanda, Lil-Shinni13, Link Worshiper, Me-Chan, MorningGlory, MSII, Natalie Stiles, One-Winged-Shinigami, Peaceful Angel, RosefaerietaleRed, Ryuske, Sailor Sayuri, Seph Lorraine, SexyDemon9, Shakespeare'sWorstNightmare,Tati1, TKM, Toniboo, Tyleet88, Yami no Hikari-Chan, and **Dentelle Noir** and **Katie**


	8. Chapter VII

Yin and Yang  
_By Cobalt 27_

**Summary:** AU. 12 some 34, 5M. Heero has no choice but to move to a new school in the middle of his sophomore year and is in for a few surprises. Between going from being a loner to one of the most popular guys, finding that he's more comfortable with homosexuality than he thought, and meeting a nymphomaniac who has a deeper side to him Heero realizes he's in for one hell of a semester.

**Warning:** Drinking, drugs, smoking, sex, swearing, angst and mature adult themes. Hilde and Catherine are 100 OOC but I hope you all like my version of their high school girly-ness.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own or have any claim to Gundam Wing, its characters, logos or its affiliations; they belong to Sunrise, Bandai and their affiliated companies. I do not own or have claim to bus names, street names, school names, mascots or logos. I do not own or have claim to the high school that appears in this story. I do not own or have claim to the malls, store names or their logos that appear in this story. I do not own or have claim to songs, lyrics, movies and movie characters, actors, singers or bands that appear in this story. I own all original characters that do not appear in any anime/manga owned by Sunrise, Bandai or their affiliated companies.

**Chapter VII**

"So, you don't mind if I hang out and Hilde's tonight? A few of us are going over there." Heero called out as he slipped a white T-Shirt over his head.

Odin had been unusually quiet since their last conversation in the car Wednesday night. Heero waited in silence for a moment before pulling his pant leg over his boot.

"If you want. Just be home early."

Heero sighed. "Yeah, okay."

He grabbed his bag and dumped his books on his bed. He was normally so much more organized and respectful of his property, but Heero Yuy was too irritated to be normal. He shoved a pair of clean clothes and his wallet into his bag and grabbed a bus schedule. It was then he realized he had no idea where Hilde was.

"Crap."

Heero left his room, backpack and bus schedule in hand, in search of the phone…and realized he didn't have Hilde's phone number. "Crap!"

Staring at the phone, he decided to call Trowa's cell phone. Dialing the ten digits, he waited for three rings before Trowa picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hello; it's Heero."

"Oh, hey. Are you coming?"

"I'm working on that. Where is Hilde's house?" Heero sat down at the tiny island that separated the kitchen from the living room and was used as a dinning table. He opened the bus schedule and waited for directions.

"Wait, you're on Rose, right?"

"Yeah," Heero nodded, even though he knew Trowa couldn't see him.

"We're a block away; do you want a ride?"

Heero looked from the bus schedule to Odin who sat on the couch watching television, a dark gloom hanging around his head.

"Uh, sure. I'll wait for you in the lobby. Just honk or something."

Heero hung up the phone and grabbed his bag. He walked into the living room and stood next to the couch where Odin sat. Odin waited a moment before turning his attention away from the flickering screen.

"Trowa's going to pick me up."

"Okay." Odin turned his attention back to the television. Heero sighed and turned to leave when Odin turned the television off and stood. "You're not 'nothing' you know."

"What?" Heero was confused by this and turned on his heels.

"In the car, you said you were nothing, but you can't be nothing. There's no such thing as nothing. You have to be something."

"God, _why_ is everyone so damned concerned about my sexuality?!" Heero was pissed now. First his friends were constantly pestering him about it, and now his father.

"You're my son, and I want to know."

Heero shook his head and maneuvered his foot into his shoe while not supporting his entire weight with his booted foot. He would need physiotherapy to build the strength back up.

"You see, if you're not heterosexual then you're something. You're bisexual or homosexual. If you're—"

"Yeah, I get where you're going, Odin." Heero grabbed his jacket and hastily threw it on. "Process of elimination, I know."

"See, so you're something. You're not nothing. I think you're avoiding the truth, Heero. Are you gay?"

"No!" Heero opened the door and was about to leave when Odin called out.

"Are you sure?"

Heero turned to the man, blue eyes clashing with blue eyes. A million images swirled through his head in the second it took for Odin to ask, and Heero just didn't want to answer.

"Look, whatever I am or am not, when I figure it out you'll be the first to know," Heero said coldly.

"I'm your father. I just want to help you in your time of…uncertainty."

"Odin! I'm confused, not dying!"

"I know, I know! But this is something serious."

"It doesn't matter, okay?"

"Are you gay?"

"GOD!" He turned away and slammed the door behind him, marching down the hallway toward the elevators.

Odin was left standing in front of the door, staring at the spot where his son had been, remote control still in hand. He sighed, and kept his gaze fixed on the spot. "Because," he began so quietly he barely heard it himself, "I wouldn't be mad."

"I thought," Heero started when he got into Quatre's car, "you were a block away." He had waited five minutes for them to show up in Quatre's father's silver BMW Z4, a car with one amazing body kit and almost sexy enough to top the Aston Martin DB9.

"Well," Quatre smiled as Heero climbed into the back seat with Trowa and Duo, "I figured if I told you the truth you wouldn't let us pick you up."

"Where were you?" Heero asked as he buckled up, Duo (who had moved to the middle seat) holding his bag for him.

"We had just pulled into Hilde's driveway. Rashid hadn't even unlocked the doors yet."

"Well then," Heero took his bag back from Duo, "you shouldn't have come to get me."

Quatre rolled his eyes as he turned to face the three in the back seat. "Didn't I tell you two he'd say that? Anyway, we've picked you up so there's nothing you can do about it. Hilde only lives in Forest Glade, anyway." Quatre turned around properly. "Let's go, Rashid."

"Yes, Master Quatre."

"About time!" Hilde shouted as she threw the door open. Grabbing Quatre by the wrist, she hauled him inside leaving the other three to enter on their own.

Trowa, who hastily flicked his shoes off, began to follow Hilde, who had taken her prisoner into the kitchen. Catherine, who had been with Hilde since they left the mall, came up the basement stairs and took all the bags and belongings out of the room. Heero wasn't really paying attention to where she took his things because there was a giggle, a gasp, a "please don't", and a shocked yell (at which point Trowa, who was standing at the opening of the kitchen, started smirking).

"And Hilde's not drunk…or stoned?" Heero asked Duo, one brow raised as the two boys cautiously approached the kitchen.

"Nope." Duo shook his head.

"I think I like her better when she is. She's calmer." Heero and Duo stood by Trowa and saw poor Quatre sitting on one of the kitchen chairs with whipping cream on his neck. Hilde, who stood convulsing with laughter, held a can of Reddi Whip in her hand.

"Go on, Trowa." Catherine smiled as she walked passed him and entered the kitchen, "Lick it off."

Trowa, Heero thought, didn't need to be told twice. Still smirking, Trowa stood in front of Quatre and gently tilted his chin to the side. He stuck his tongue out and scoped up the blob of whipping cream. He sucked on Quatre's neck, devouring any remaining Reddi Whip. All the while Quatre squiggled, giggled, and blushed trying to push Trowa away.

"Okay, okay," Hilde laughed, "enough. We get it; Quatre tastes good."

Trowa turned on her and, grabbing the can from her grasp, tilted the nozzle so it hissed and sprayed whipping cream on her face (all while she tried to doge it).

"Oh, I hate you!" Hilde's eyes were narrowed as she glared at Trowa. It was hard to find her intimidating with a huge white glob of whipping cream on her cheek and lips.

It was Trowa's turn to laugh as Hilde tried to lick the sweat topping off her mouth, and used her index finger to scrape it off her face.

"Quatre," Catherine giggled, "let's make some brownies."

"Alright!" Quatre jumped from his seat with a smile. Heero was positive he welcomed the distraction so he could no longer dwell on Trowa's tongue licking its way around his neck. Quatre, Heero noticed, was horrible at hiding his feelings for the green-eyed boy.

"Well, that was interesting," Duo's dull voice hit Heero's ears as it started to fade. "I'm heading downstairs."

Quatre made to grab the can of Reddi Whip from Trowa when Catherine swooped in and stole it.

"Sorry Q, but we need to save these for later." She winked and put it in the fridge. "Now, you two," she tuned to Heero and Trowa, "scoot! There's enough cooks in the kitchen, so be gone!"

Heero turned with Trowa and headed downstairs.

"Wanna start a movie?" Duo stood with his torso almost inside the DVD cabinet as he rifled through drawers and cases. "I wanna watch something funny."

Heero held in a snort. He wasn't sure he wanted to find out which kinds of movies Duo thought were funny. He hated toilet humour, and was into satire and movies with wit and intellectual jokes. Resigning himself to an inane movie, Heero sat himself on the couch under the small window. It had the worst view of the television.

"That movie again?" Trowa shook his head as Duo handed him a DVD.

"What? What's wrong with Wallace and Gromit?" Duo approached the DVD player with an innocent look on his face.

_Wallace and Gromit_ was _not_ what Heero was expecting. But then again, remembering Duo's bookshelf he should have known the braided boy was full of surprises. Heero himself hadn't seen much of _Wallace and Gromit_ and was battling with his brain between staying put and moving to get a better view of the television. The battle was settled for him when Duo plopped himself on Heero's left and curled up on the cushion.

"Oi, I seriously doubt I could eat another bite," Duo mumbled around a mouthful of brownie as he shoved the last bit in. He dropped back onto the couch next to Heero and chewed noisily, rubbing his belly while doing so. "My god, Quat, those are amazing brownies."

Heero had to concur, but Heero hadn't stuffed his mouth half as much as Duo had and therefore wasn't as stuffed. But they were the best brownies he had ever had and he seriously couldn't eat another bite.

"Okay!" Hilde jumped up and disappeared with the empty brownie trays. A few moments later she came rushing back down the stairs with a bunch of Reddi Whip cans. She passed them all out until she got to Heero. He just stared at her without taking the can.

"It's a game," Catherine said as she stood up. She took the can from Hilde, who ran to her spot on the couch. "You can't spray where you won't lick off."

"What?" Heero's furrowed his brow.

"You spray people, and lick it off." She motioned for Heero to take the can.

"That's ridiculous. It's just an excuse to promote perversion. I'm not spraying people. And I'm certainly not licking it off." Heero folded his arms over his chest and refused to look at Catherine.

"Well, you can still be sprayed even if you don't want a can, so _really_ it's better to have some arsenal, if you know what I mean." Catherine wiggled a freezing can in Heero's face and he grumbled something before begrudgingly grabbed it.

Duo immediately turned and pressed the nozzle. Heero yelped and jumped as the cold cream piled on his neck.

"You'd think," Quatre smiled as he nudged Trowa's ribs, "that that was deliberate."

"Duo?" Heero's eyes were wide with shock. According to the rules…

Duo turned on the couch and climbed over Heero, straddling him and pinning his shoulders to the couch. Heero froze and could do nothing but stare at Duo, who smirked and Heero's senses sent off warning alarms. Duo seemed so comfortable there, licking his plump and soft lips, and slowly dipping his head, opening his mouth. Duo savoured every second as he meticulously licked and sucked up all of the whipping cream on Heero's silky skin, moving into Heero, pressing their chests together. Heero let an airy moan crawl past his lips as Duo's tongue cleared the whipping cream and now worked on the sticky remnants, lapping up every drop. Duo really didn't need to hold his shoulders down anymore; he wasn't about to fight back now.

"Well."

Heero was barely conscious of other people in the room, and it was Trowa's voice that brought him back from rampant fantasies swirling within him.

"D-Duo-oh!" He meant to tell him to stop, but when Duo sunk his teeth in Heero's wet flesh, and closed the distance between their hips, Heero moaned his name more than scolded it. He was sweating with nervousness and the fear of uncertainty, and the fear of his own desires. He wanted so badly to wrap his arms around Duo, to ease the burning passion of his groin. He wasn't sure what exactly had gotten into Duo (or himself), or why Duo was licking his jaw-line, or if he even _liked _Duo, but now was not the time or place and he had to make it all stop.

"En…enough…D-Duo, enough, stop."

"Heero," Duo whispered as his lips trailed Heero's jaw-line to his chin, where he brought his nose to nudge Heero's. "Need…" and as Duo spoke his lips gently brushed against Heero's parted and almost gasping ones, "…you."

Heero's lips and entire body was tingling with the same sensation as if he had been scared to death. Except he wasn't scared. His eyes fluttered shut as he expected Duo to kiss him, only he didn't. Duo's hands released Heero's shoulders, and he trailed his hands down Heero's sides, and slipped his fingers under Heero's shirt, and touched the warm and soft skin. Duo's husky voice whispered across Heero's face, "I really need you."

And at those words Heero thought about the first time he had ever seen Duo kiss another boy, and at Treize's party, and how Duo looked so disheveled that night. How many boys did Duo have sex with that night? And how many parties were there before Heero met him? And how many times with Trent? Heero, he realized, was just another boy to Duo…just another face, just another cock.

"Get the fuck off," Heero angrily threw Duo to the side; he landed on the cushion next to him. Spying the forsaken whipping cream cans, Heero stood and crossed the room. "Fucking retarded game…stupid…fucking…."

Heero stormed up the stairs and out of the house. He sat down on the last step of the cold cement porch, letting the breeze toss his hair and white shirt around. He looked around the epitome of suburbia, identical houses, and large trees on every lot. Most of the house lights were off. It was a cool night, but he didn't care. He sighed but his exasperated breath carried away in the wind. He heard the door open and close, and he felt a body sit behind him on the porch. Heero felt two long legs move on either side of him, and strong hands come down on his shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Trowa asked quietly as he massaged Heero's neck and shoulders.

"I am now." Heero's head rolled to the front as he presented more skin for Trowa to rub. "If I wasn't so pissed at Odin right now I'd just go home."

"Are you two fighting?" Heero felt Trowa's voice rumble against his back as he was pulled into a hug. He relaxed into the other boy, surprised at how comfortable he felt.

"Yeah," Heero sighed. "He keeps bugging me about my sexuality. He doesn't think I'm asexual."

"I don't either." Trowa looked up at the cloudy sky. Not many stars were visible. "Think about a girl, Heero. Think about a naked girl, soft round breasts, kissing you—"

"God Trowa, stop." Heero shook his head in disgust.

Trowa laughed. "Alright, but you see what I mean? You can't even think about a girl without getting uncomfortable. What about boys? Think about Duo; you've seen him naked—"

"Trowa—"

"Think about what happened downstairs but picture him naked and wet, with his hair down," Trowa paused to give Heero time to think about it, and try as hard as he might he could not _not_ think about it. It was like saying, 'don't think of a purple elephant!' because the minute someone says that you think about a purple elephant. As soon as Trowa said it, Heero was picturing Duo naked and wet on top of him, his slick skin in Heero's hands. "Duo's beautiful, isn't he?" Trowa let his arms slide off Heero and he put some distance between the two of them. Gently guiding Heero's chin, he turned the other boy to face him. "You don't like girls, Heero. Face it. You don't like hugging them, or standing next to them, or—"

"I get it," Heero sighed, looking into Trowa's shinning green eyes.

"But boys…look at how close we are right now. And you're not uncomfortable."

Heero turned away from Trowa, but leaned against him as he watched a car drive down the dark street. "I've changed, a lot. Three months ago I…" Heero stopped and looked at his hand bathed in the yellow glow of the street lamps. "I don't look different, but I feel different. Three months ago I never would have been at a party because I didn't have any friends. I went to school, studied, did homework, worked and that was it. I never hung out at the mall, or went to movies with anyone other than Odin…People in general made me uncomfortable. I never hugged people, at all. Physical contact was...just weird."

"If it _used to be_ weird why did you get so angry at Duo?"

"Duo is beautiful," Heero finally said aloud, "but not when he's like that. It's like he's conditioned that at every party he gets laid and that's wrong. I guess intimacy is another one of those things that makes me uncomfortable. I mean, I'm not even the 'typical teenaged boy' when it comes to that."

"And by that I'll assume you mean jerking off."

Heero blushed as he kept his eyes fixed on the road. Another car went by.

"When you have limited space like I do it's not easy to get around to that. I mean, it's not that I never—and it's not really that you need to know—it's just…" Heero was surprised that he was confiding in Trowa the way he was (he wasn't surprised by the heated flush in his cheeks, though). The only other time he was able to do that was when he was inebriated. "Duo's very promiscuous and it makes me uncomfortable, that's all. I'm not one of his gay friends that will…you know. I've never even kissed anyone before."

"Would that make you more comfortable with the situation if I kissed you?" Trowa turned Heero's chin again, forcing the boy to look him in the eyes.

Heero opened his mouth to protest, but realized that he wouldn't mind kissing Trowa. He had never been kissed and at least he was guaranteed that his first kiss wouldn't be ruined. He would be sharing it with someone he considered to be his best friend. Nodding, he leaned forward and Trowa closed the space between them. Raking his fingers into Heero's hair, he tilted his head upward and pressed his soft lips onto Heero's slightly open ones. Trowa pushed his tongue into Heero's mouth and teased his tongue, lightly licking it before he pulled back, sucking on Heero's bottom lip a bit.

Heero was spinning and his lips were on fire. Everywhere Trowa had touched had become sensitive and he tried to shake the fog from his head. Closing his eyes tight and opening them again, his vision slowly stopped spinning but his heart still hammered in his chest. "Dammit," Heero mumbled as he let his head fall on Trowa's shoulder.

"What?" Trowa held the boy at an arms distance and looked him over.

Heero sighed. There was no point lying to himself anymore. "I'm gay."

"I know. You're gay and Duo's beautiful, right?" Trowa nodded as he eased himself to his feet. Turning his back on Heero he made to reenter the house.

"It's not like that—"

"Fix him, Heero," Trowa called over his shoulder. "God knows he needs it. For all of our sakes, please. He means so much to us and we just don't know what to do anymore. You can do it. He trusts you so much."

"Trowa—" The door silenced Heero as Trowa shut it behind him leaving Heero alone in his mental whirlwind state. Heero sighed then shivered as the breeze picked up chilling his skin. He stood and meandered into the house, finding a dark corner in the living room to sit in.

He sat in motionless silence for quite a while, just listening to the mumbled voices in the basement. For the first time since he had become close friends with Trowa, he actually felt like he really didn't belong. Everyone was enjoying themselves (or so he assumed) downstairs and it didn't matter that he wasn't there because they didn't need him to have a good time. Heero or no Heero the situation didn't change and it was obvious, to him at least, that they didn't need him.

Foot steps on the stairs and a shadow climbing across the floor singled that someone was coming upstairs. Quatre turned into the living room with a flawless smile. "Hey, what are you doing all by your lonesome?"

"I was just—just thinking, that's all," Heero lied as he maneuvered himself on the chair so he could be comfortable with the clunky boot still attached to his leg.

"You get that off tomorrow, right?" Quatre took a seat at the end of the couch, which so happened to be adjacent to the chair Heero was occupying.

"Morning, yeah. I'll have to either take the bus home or have Odin come and get me. Either way, it doesn't matter because he's never gunna talk to me again."

"Why?" Quatre's genuine shock was apparent as he leaned on the armrest of the couch. "Did you two get into a fight or something?"

"Yeah, something." Heero rolled his eyes. "I…he…we got into an argument about my sexuality. He was pretty pissed when I left."

"Wow. I hope that everything turns out okay between you two. He's not one of those psycho parents who try to fix their gay children with religion or something like that is he?"

"No. It's just that…like, he's not married. I don't think he ever has been, and I doubt he ever will. I highly doubt he'll have children of his own and, well…you know. His legacy, grandchildren…all that crap."

"Oh, I know what you mean," Quatre smiled. "There was this time at a company dinner…" Quatre's face quickly fell as he recalled the memory. He then shook his head violently, "you know what, that's another conversation all together."

"Oh, come on. You can't start something like that and not finish it." Heero propped his head up on his palm as his elbow found a niche in the armrest.

"I can, because I am." Quatre stood up and jogged downstairs obviously running away from the conversation.

"Why then, dear chap, have a crumpet. They are simply sublime." Trowa sat on a large, tall wooden rocking chair reaching far into the sky. He wore a tuxedo vest, with nothing underneath, and a pair of lime green suede pants.

"Why, I'd fancy a spot of Chai to accompany my scrumptious crumpet, dear chap." Duo, who was in a long flowing blue shirt and an orange turtle neck sweater, tried desperately to climb the enormous leg of the insanely tall rocking chair, but to no avail. Trowa was too high up.

Heero looked around and realized that he was completely surrounded by water. He was balancing on a pink beach ball, and once he realized this he lost his balance and fell off. The water was frigid and Heero splashed about and was sure he was going into shock when he was surprisingly surrounded by shark fins.

Duo leapt off the leg of the rocking chair and large white wings ripped through the ugly orange sweater, the rest of the sweater falling in tatters around him. Soaring through the air toward Heero, Duo grabbed the flailing boy out of the water. At this outrage, one of the sharks stood, taller than Trowa's rocking chair, and pounded his fists on his chest. It was Trent.

"Avast!" Wufei launched the harpoon gun on his pirate ship and it punctured Trent's jewels, bringing the bellowing monster to his knees. Wufei launched another harpoon into Trent's face, and he shattered into a billion pieces that began to produce toxic green ooze once they hit the water. This ooze poisoned all the other sharks, and they jumped out of the water. Heero noticed the faces (the ones he recognized) of every boy who had touched Duo. They all shattered and Heero, back on land with Duo, turned to face him.

Duo looked striking indeed; his hair hung straight, down to the back of his knees, and he was topless and glistening. His hairless chest was toned and tanned, and his flowing skirt and silky hair flapped in the sudden wind.

"You're beautiful," Heero proclaimed, and all Duo did was smile, truly and genuinely smile.

Heero heard noise above, so he looked up to the rocking chair where he saw Quatre's hand dangling off the edge of the seat, his face appearing and disappearing in rhythmic motion. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes glazed over, and behind him Heero could see a shadowed figure who he assumed was Trowa.

"They love each other, Heero," Duo announced. "Who do you love?"

Heero didn't answer.

"Who do you love?...Who do you love?...who…do…you…"

Heero rolled over and opened his eyes. He sat up. He looked around. He sighed.

"I am _never_ eating that many brownies again," he mumbled to himself as he wiped his face with the palm of his hand.

He was back in Hilde's basement wrapped up under blankets on the floor with everyone else. Quatre and Trowa were not having sex. Wufei was not a pirate. Duo was not…there. Heero looked around. Catherine and Hilde were on the floor near the television next to Quatre and Trowa who were in the middle of the room. Heero looked at the empty spot where Duo had been next to him and stood. He could hear faint music coming from upstairs.

Heero approached the computer room on the top level of the house and stood in the doorway. Duo sat in the black swivel computer chair, his loose braid hung over the back, crossed legged on the chair. His pale face was glowing from the computer monitor, and Heero could see his bright eyes.

_Vindicated  
__I am selfish  
__I am wrong  
__I am right, I swear I'm right  
__Swear I knew it all along_

Duo noticed Heero's reflection on the computer monitor and he turned to face him, eyes connected as his lips began to move, "_And I am flawed/But I am cleaning up so well/I am seeing in me now/The things you swore you saw yourself_."

Heero was rooted to the spot as Duo's voice softly filled the room. It traveled over him like a blanket and Heero knew, more than anything, that those lyrics were meant for Duo.

"Can't sleep either?" Duo asked.

Heero shook his head and sat on the piano bench next to the computer desk. "No, weird dreams. You were British and Wufei was a pirate. Why can't you sleep?"

"Dunno." Duo shrugged his shoulders. "Not sleepy, I guess."

Heero nodded, looking at the computer monitor. Duo was talking to a bunch of people on MSN Messenger, and Heero wondered why, at four in the morning, that many people were online.

"This guy," Duo started, as if he read Heero's thoughts, "lives in BC so it's one in the morning there. I'm kinda tired, but he's not."

"What are you talking about?" Heero asked, propping his elbow on the computer desk and resting his chin in his palm.

"I sent him a picture of me. He thinks I'm…" Duo scrolled up the conversation window to where "Fight for your right to paaaaarty!" had said: "_UR hot!_"

"C'mon," Heero said, grabbing Duo's hand. "Just log off. You don't need to be in a relationship all the time, do you?"

Duo shrugged, and Heero grabbed the swivel chair and began to pull Duo away from the monitor.

"Fine," Duo sighed. "I'll let him go."

"And all the others. Come downstairs with me."

"Fine."

Heero watched as Duo said goodbye to five windows, and closed them. He turned the music player off, and stood following Heero out of the computer room and down the stairs to where everyone slept.

"How's your back?" Heero whispered once he had wrapped himself up in blankets.

"Fine," Duo crawled in next to him. "Barely any scaring."

"I'm sorry for not being there."

Duo's brow furrowed and he just looked at Heero, wanting him to elaborate.

"From the beginning, I mean. I shouldn't have been so…but I was really mad at you. You ignored me and you were rude. But I think I know why now. It's because I look like someone you hate, right?" Heero was on his side, elbow supporting his head as he looked at Duo.

"I…" Duo sighed, "yeah. I walked in and you were standing there and you were just so…like him," Duo blushed. He was about to say hot, but he just couldn't tell Heero that even though he reminded him of his half-brother and instantly hated him for something that wasn't his fault, he still thought that Heero was the most good looking boy he'd ever laid eyes on.

"I was mad at you, too," Heero announced. "You drove by in that limo of yours and splashed me and…it's dumb, but I just wanted an apology. And then you walked in and I guess we just…"

"Started off on the wrong foot?"

Heero nodded.

"We're on the right foot now, though…right?"

Heero nodded.

"Good. Well," Duo tried to look at the others sleeping in the room, but the angle he was laying in prevented his neck from moving in those directions, "night." Bravely, Duo leaned forward and planted a shy kiss on Heero's cheek.

The spot instantly began to tingle.

X-X-X

The Dodge Shadow came to a stop in between a bran-new Dodge Caravan and a Ford Mustang. The car ride had been completely silent and Heero didn't know what to make of it. Odin had picked him up from Hilde's house after he had called earlier that morning. They were a little early for their appointment, but Heero wanted to get it done and over with. He was tired of the damned cast and was anxious to see what his own leg looked like.

The silent car ride, though, had been grating on Heero's nerves. There were so many unspoken words lingering between the two of them it frustrated Heero to no end, and by the time he undid his seatbelt he was almost bursting.

Turning to Odin, with a white-knuckle grasp on the door-handle, Heero spat out, "I'm gay, okay?"

It took Odin a few seconds to register what Heero had blurted out before he undid his own seatbelt buckle and had followed the youth out of the car. "What do you mean?" He yelled after the teen hobbling up the cement sidewalk.

"I mean you and everyone else was right, okay? I'm gay." Heero folded his arms across his chest and looked very childish as he pouted his way to the entrance.

"I knew it!" Odin jogged after him (he wasn't sure how the boy had gotten so far ahead with the clumsy boot).

"Yeah, yeah, congratu-fucking-lations." Heero, for some reason, was angry.

"Hey! Don't speak to me like that," Odin was angry now.

"Well," Heero stopped in a huff , rounding on the man, "You bug me and bug me about it for weeks and you're the one who wanted to know so bad so…whatever. I tell you and there. Go ahead, and say whatever you wanted to say, whatever you were working up in your head these past weeks. I'm dying to hear it!"

"What?" Odin furrowed his brow as he stared at his son, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Go ahead! Criticize me, or whatever. Tell me you hate me and—"

"You're gay. So what?"

"You don't feel any…any..." Heero wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't sure what he expected Odin to feel, but he needed to know that Odin was one hundred percent supportive.

Odin reached out an arm as Heero slowly walked toward him. He pulled him into a tight embrace and wouldn't let go. "You're my son, alright? You'll always be my son. I don't care what gender you like. That doesn't change who you are. I don't care if you're gay because it's not a crime or a disease, okay? I love you, kiddo, and that will never change."

Heero buried his face in Odin's shoulder, absolutely refusing to cry. Taking a few breaths to steady himself, he sighed as he spoke, his words slightly muffled against Odin's shirt.

"I love you too, dad." Taking a few breaths, Heero steadied himself. "So then, these past few weeks you just…"

"I just wanted to know." Odin smirked. "I'm nosy."

"You know…I could kill you."

Odin laughed, clamping a hand firmly on Heero's shoulder. "Not before I had you pinned to the floor crying out for mercy."

"Bite me."

**TBC**

**A/N:** AH! I fail at life. All I can say is there's no excuse for me taking so long to write this except school. I didn't do so well this semester (failed a class and got a couple of bad grades—thankfully my two high ones pulled my mark up). Anyway, summer is here and I have a lot of plans for this fic so I hope that my little hiatus there didn't deter anyone from this fic. You all stuck around right?


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